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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26714350">The Virgin and the Psychopath</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezehel/pseuds/Jezehel'>Jezehel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Aquarius [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU - Canon Divergence, Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, Badass Katara (Avatar), Dark Katara (Avatar), Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, I rewrote the show from Series 2 onwards, Major canon divergence, Middling-burn Zutara, Psychopaths In Love, Romance, Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:22:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>157,686</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26714350</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezehel/pseuds/Jezehel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sokka is mortally wounded after the Siege of the North Pole, Katara bargains for his life and has been left as a cold and calculating husk of her former self. Grappling with her new identity, friendships fracture and Katara sets off to find her own path. This is her story.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Aquarius [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1944160</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>147</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Spirit Oasis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone. I promise I won't make the notes too long before each chapter, but I just want to set out some things before I start.</p><p>Firstly, this story gets quite dark in places. If that's not your thing, click away now. Chapters that host that dark content will have any necessary trigger warnings at the top, because for me this is just fun and a new challenge, and I don't want anyone to be uncomfortable. There will also be plenty of 'mature' content in later chapters, but again I will mention this at the top.</p><p>I have chosen not to use archive warnings. I will say that by American standards, the 'Underage' warning should technically apply, but in my country, the legal age of consent is 16 so as far as I'm concerned, they're not underage as I have aged-up the main characters by two years.</p><p>I think that's all for now, so I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The snow crunched beneath Katara’s feet as she ran. If anyone had been around to ask where she was headed, she couldn’t have told them. Her feet simply carried her there like a tide. As it was, it was the middle of the night, and the only other people around were the guards. The bitterly icy air pinched her cheeks and burned her lungs with each panted inhale, but she couldn’t stop. Because once she stopped, she would break down. And then she was useful to <em>no-one</em>. Least of all her brother.</p>
<p>Her pace slowed as she become cognizant of where she was. Somehow, Katara had found her way to the ornate, gilded gate that led to the Spirit Oasis. She whipped her head around to make sure she hadn’t been followed, but she was alone. Even Aang hadn’t been able to track her down, it seemed. The way she had burst out of the room in tears seemed to have shaken the naïve, idealistic teen to his core. She had ignored his cries of her name as she made her escape. She didn’t want his help. There wasn’t anything he could do. And she didn’t want his comfort. Nothing…nothing would bring her back if her biggest fear was realised.</p>
<p>Katara took a deep breath, and wiped the tears away from her face. It wasn’t lost on her that only two days ago, the Spirit Oasis had been the site of another tragedy, when the Northern Water Tribe Princess Yue sacrificed herself to become the Moon Spirit. It was part of what had won them the battle and broken the Fire Nation siege. But it hadn’t come without costs beside the Princess’s life. Officially, the Spirit Oasis was closed to any visitors other than Chief Arnook during this mourning period. Anyone who violated the sanctity of the space during this time would surely be brutally punished by the spirits. From Katara’s perspective, the worst she could imagine happening to her was already taking place. What more could the spirits do to her?</p>
<p>“Try me,” she whispered to herself, taking another deep breath. She pushed on the gates, and to her pleasant surprise they were unlocked. She stole in without a moment’s hesitation and pulled the gate closed behind her.</p>
<p>Instantly, Katara felt the monumental shift in the atmosphere. The Spirit Oasis was a sanctuary from the cold, from the burdens of the tundra and the real world just beyond the gate. Where the air outside was so cold tears could freeze on the bearer’s cheeks, here it was temperate and humid, and it wrapped thickly around Katara in an uncomfortably tight embrace. She shrugged off her thick blue parka, which alleviated the discomfort somewhat. She noticed with a pang the effect she had had on this place the last time she was here. The scorch marks staining some of the rocks, the crisp and brittle remains of plants that had succumbed to flames, and the giant, weeping slash in the tree that held almost as much significance as the Oasis itself. All artefacts of her own battle with that Fire Nation bastard. Perhaps if it wasn’t for him, this wouldn’t have…</p>
<p>As she looked around, Katara’s heart weighed heavily in her chest, and she was consumed by guilt for her part in the destruction of the Oasis. “Who am I kidding?” she muttered to herself sadly. “We’ve already violated the sanctity of this space.” The Spirit Oasis had been an untouched, unblemished haven before…all this. She walked up to the pond, and looked down into the water below. To her relief, both Tui and La were still dancing to their own rhythm, circling each other, coiling around each other, completing each other. They were opposite, yet equal. Utterly opposed, yet in perfect harmony. She knelt down beside the pond and watched them, trying to do anything to distract herself from what had just happened back in that room.</p>
<p>“I…I’m…I’m so sorry,” Katara whispered to the spirits.</p>
<p>With those simple words uttered, she became plagued by memories…Aang morphing into that…that monster, for lack of a better word; almost losing Aang to the Fire Nation because of her ineptitude; Sokka crying in grief as Princess Yue lay dead in his arms; Sokka crumpling, without warning and without a sound, before her eyes, blood beginning to stream from his mouth…</p>
<p>No-one was certain how it had happened. It seemed one minute Sokka was fine, the next he was on the ground, almost unconscious and deaf to Katara’s anguished screams. It was all Katara could do was to coat her hands in healing water, before they were surrounded by guards and Sokka was whisked away to the healing huts with Katara in hot pursuit. This had been the morning after Aang had fought off the Fire Nation. There wasn’t supposed to be anyone left. Aang had made sure of that. Or at least she thought it was Aang. When he reached the Avatar State, he still looked like the energetic 14-year old she and her brother had found in the iceberg…but it wasn’t the same Aang. That Aang was menacing and fearsome, and capable of unbelievable destruction, and apparently fusing with spirits to become a goliath capable of destroying an entire fleet. It frightened her, seeing him like that. Even knowing he was on their side, Katara knew that Aang wasn’t in full control when he reached that stage…</p>
<p>It must have been too idealistic to assume that every single enemy soldier had been swept up in the wave that broke through the city. The entire Northern Water Tribe had allowed themselves to rest on their laurels once the battle was over and Aang resumed his usual form. It hadn’t even <em>occurred </em>to Katara that there might still be danger. As far as she and the rest of the waterbenders were concerned, the battle was over and the Water Tribe had emerged victorious. It was a huge blow against the Fire Nation, not only losing the battle and the ships and the men, but to their morale. How often had they lost? Much less to a 14-year old, albeit in some monstrous form? Master Pakku in particular seemed very amused imagining the tyrant Fire Lord’s response to this news. Any survivors would have known that. They would have seen for themselves the unstoppable force that Aang could be. It wasn’t at all impossible that some stragglers had survived the wave and, knowing certain death awaited them regardless, decided to wreak havoc while they still could.</p>
<p>And her brother had been caught in the crossfire… They knew he had been stabbed by a blade, and it had punctured his lung. That was why he had begun coughing up blood. Those weren’t easy wounds for any healer to deal with, let alone a healer who had an entire building full of other injured soldiers and civilians from the siege. That had been nearly two days ago. Sokka still hadn’t woken up.</p>
<p>And tonight, Katara had received the news that there was a good chance he never would.</p>
<p>
  <em>“We’re afraid he isn’t healing as fast as he should be,” the healer, Kali, explained.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“He only got injured two days ago!” Katara protested.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“With our advanced healing techniques, he should be awake by now,” Kali said regretfully. “The problem is, he won’t warm up. We think…we think that the blade must have been laced with something. Something that made his wound fester a lot faster than it should have. We can clearly see it has been infected. That’s what we’re struggling to fight.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“There has to be </em>something <em>you can do!” Katara begged, tears pooling in her eyes. “I’ll do it myself! Just tell me what to do!” She felt Aang place a tentative hand on her shoulder, in what he must have assumed was a comforting manner. Katara shrugged him off and stared hardly at the healer.</em></p>
<p><em>“I’m so sorry, but infections aren’t simple. And it’s behaving so bizarrely – usually infections give the patient a fever, but this one only seems to be bringing his temperature down. I’m honestly afraid the cold will kill him before the infection or the injury do…” Katara knew it wasn’t physically possible, but in that moment, she could have sworn that she felt her heart…stop. Just for a second. The world stilled and quieted. What noise did break through was muffled and echoed unclearly. Every thought, every fibre of her being were consumed by her brother. Sokka? Dead? No, no that couldn’t happen. That </em>couldn’t <em>happen!</em></p>
<p>That was when Katara’s mind had gone blank and she took off from the huts.</p>
<p>“Please,” she begged, tears streaming freely from her eyes. “Please. Don’t take Sokka. Don’t take him, too, please. I’m so sorry for what we did. But please, <em>please </em>don’t punish my brother! It wasn’t even him! It was me…”</p>
<p>‘And that guy from the Fire Nation,’ she added silently. ‘Zuko...’ But what good was laying the blame at his feet? He wasn’t here to pray for clemency or beg for forgiveness…or face their retribution. He had fled as soon as things turned difficult, like a coward.</p>
<p>There had also been the mad admiral, of course, but the way she’d heard it from the other warriors, the spirits had already sought and taken their retribution against him.</p>
<p>“Princess Yue…” she implored quietly, gazing up at the moon. “You…you loved my brother, too. I know you did. Please…please don’t take him with you. I’m begging you. I know you’ve sacrificed so much already…but please. Let Sokka live. Please. Please…” Katara’s words trailed off as a sob rose up and filled her throat. She choked it out, but it was quickly followed by another. Her entire body shook with grief, and her trembling legs quickly gave way and she collapsed to her knees. She buried her face in her hands and cried, wailed, wept. It was times like this that Sokka would usually be at her side and threatening to beat on whoever had upset his baby sister. But tonight, Katara was alone. Only the wind heard her sorrow.</p>
<p>Katara didn’t know how long she cried for. All she knew was that it was still the dead of night when she finally wiped her eyes. She was spent, physically, mentally and emotionally. She felt blank and empty. Except for a dull ache that bore through her chest. She didn’t know if her heart was the source or the target, but the knot had lodged itself in Katara’s chest ever since Sokka had collapsed. When Kali had delivered the devastating prognosis, it had only tightened unbearably.</p>
<p>“Please,” she said again wearily. “Please, Tui. Please, La. Please, Yue.” But there was no answer. Katara sighed heavily. She hadn’t really expected a response. Back in the times of folk tales, the spirits were known to grant favours and cause mischief for all and sundry. Nowadays, they didn’t tend to meddle in the human world, for the most part. Indeed, the Avatar was usually the only one they would deign to speak to.</p>
<p>‘Maybe that’s the problem,’ she realised. ‘I’m not the Avatar.’ But Aang was. If she could find him and bring him here, maybe he could implore the spirits on her behalf. But would they be angered at being used like that, and take it out on Aang? That was the last thing Katara wanted.</p>
<p>She didn’t care if they punished her. If that gave Sokka even an infinitesimally higher chance of pulling through, Katara would accept it with grace. No, she would have to leave Aang out of this. The world was broken and in need of healing. The last thing it needed was for its newfound Avatar to send the spirits on the warpath. Vengeful spirits weren’t unheard of even now, after all.</p>
<p>Katara’s gaze fell back onto the two fish circling each other. Her eyes began to blur from a fresh set of tears, and in her vision, Tui and La became one amorphous shape. They completed each other. Counterparts. That was their whole purpose. Push and pull. Yin and Yang. Balance…</p>
<p>“Is that what this is?” she asked them frantically. “Did we destroy the balance of this place? Do…do you need to take a life to restore it…?” The blood in her veins turned to ice as the realisation hit her with horror. “How does that work?” she asked desperately. Was it because of Yue? Did her sacrifice somehow push the world out of balance? But why did Sokka’s life have to be forfeit? It didn’t make any sense. Was it because he and Yue had been in love? Was this their twisted way of ‘restoring balance’?</p>
<p>These thoughts were bad enough, but Katara didn’t want to even begin to contemplate the alternative – that this had just been a random tragedy and Sokka had just been in the wrong place at the wrong time. That couldn’t be what it was. Sokka’s life was <em>much </em>more valuable than that. He deserved a long and happy life. He didn’t deserve to be taken out by an overzealous, lowlife enemy soldier. He <em>didn’t</em>.</p>
<p>“Balance…balance…” she whispered to herself like a mantra. Was there something she was forgetting?</p>
<p>'Of course,' she realised, suddenly feeling calm. Katara had it wrong… The spirits weren’t taking a life as a reprisal. They had already achieved that with the Fire Nation admiral. They wanted balance…because it was push and pull, give and take. Princess Yue’s death was a sacrifice, in exchange for which the moon returned to the sky…</p>
<p>“I can’t just ask, can I?” she said to Tui and La. She knelt back down beside the pond and straightened her back, her hands poised on her knees in front of her. “You need something in return. You need balance.”</p>
<p>“What do you want?” Katara asked them.</p>
<p>When Katara had sat and cried, only the wind heard her. This time, though, Katara wasn’t alone. Something else was listening…and they answered.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>“Katara! There you are!” Aang shouted as he burst unceremoniously through the gate. He stopped and quickly bowed, muttering a quick apology to the spirits for any disrespect. Katara was kneeling in front of the pond, perfectly still. Aang beamed. His instinct had been right. But then, he knew Katara. He liked to think he knew her very well. She had snubbed him when he’d tried to comfort her earlier, but he understood that. She had been in a lot of pain.</p>
<p>Now, though, Aang was sure he could make that beautiful smile he had become smitten with light up Katara’s face once more. He walked up to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. Quick as lightning, Katara grabbed his wrist and pulled him down as she pushed herself up and spun around to face him. His shocked eyes were met only by a cold, hard stare before Katara realised it was Aang. Her expression softened slightly, and she loosened her iron-like grip on him and let him go. He rubbed his wrist and winced.</p>
<p>“You’re pretty strong,” he smiled at her admiringly, to let her know it was okay. Katara didn’t respond. Her expression was completely blank.</p>
<p>“You were looking for me?” she said in a neutral tone.</p>
<p>“Uh, yeah,” Aang replied, slightly nonplussed at her behaviour. “Don’t worry about my wrist, by the way, it’s fine.”</p>
<p>Katara had absolutely no intention of worrying about his wrist.</p>
<p>“Call it payback for when you burned me,” she muttered drily. Aang looked up in surprise, then laughed nervously, but Katara remained stone-faced. Aang shook himself. Katara must be exhausted. She would be fine once she had some sleep. He knew fretting about Sokka had been keeping her awake. Now, though, there was no reason she couldn’t catch up.</p>
<p>“Anyway, Katara, I’ve been looking for you!” Aang repeated. “You won’t believe it, it’s incredible!”</p>
<p>“I might if you tell me what it is.”</p>
<p>Aang brushed off her remark and continued: “Sokka’s awake! He…he just pulled through! He warmed up, and he woke up and he’s talking and asking where all the meat is, you know how he is,” Aang laughed. Katara’s eyes widened slightly, but didn’t otherwise betray what was going on in her head. “So…you don’t need to worry about him now! He’s going to be fine!”</p>
<p>“Yes…” Katara said vacantly, staring off to her right at the gate that Aang had virtually come crashing through. “That <em>is </em>good news.”</p>
<p>It was good news, Katara decided. They would have had to leave Sokka’s body here otherwise. Sokka wouldn’t care, he would be dead, but their father would. Her Tribe were far more lax than the North, but they still had strict burial rites, and a fallen member of the Tribe deserved the honour of being buried with their kin where that was possible. With the war, the custom had only been loosely observed over the last century. But Sokka was the Chief’s son. It wouldn’t do for his body to be left in strange lands, that would be far too upsetting for the Chief. And as the Chief’s daughter, Katara imagined it would end up being her who would have to deal with the mess and clean it up like a good dutiful daughter. That was if this fucking war ever ended and she even saw Hakoda again, of course.</p>
<p>And the other bit of good news was that travelling in a group of three was better than two, even if Sokka was a non-bender. He had his uses. She supposed they would all continue their journey to help Aang master the elements once Sokka had had a week or two to convalesce fully. It was better than doing nothing. And if she had stayed in the South Pole, she wouldn’t be a master waterbender now. She was much stronger than she was. Aang was irksome, but the benefits of travelling with him had so far outweighed the burdens.</p>
<p>It quietly occurred to her that it was also good news because it meant her brother wasn't dead...should that have been her first thought?</p>
<p>“So…do you want to go and see him?” Aang prompted, perplexed. He had expected Katara to run off without another word, but instead she just stood looking almost through him while she was deep in thought. And ‘good news’? What was <em>that</em>?</p>
<p>‘She’s tired,’ Aang reminded himself. ‘Maybe it affects people differently.’ When Aang got tired, he became grouchy and less in control of his bending. Perhaps this was just Katara’s way of responding to exhaustion. He could live with that. It didn’t make him like her any less. Humans were wonderful and complex creatures. He wanted to know <em>all </em>of Katara’s complexities…so he could be everything she needed…everything she wanted…</p>
<p>Katara was extremely doubtful that Sokka would have anything of note to say, having just woken up following a traumatic injury. And what was she supposed to say, ‘I’m glad you’re alive?’ What was the point? He was her brother, he must already know she didn’t want him to have died young. She took in the enthusiastic and childlike airbender before her. He was looking at her expectantly.</p>
<p>“You…you don’t have to,” Aang said uncertainly. Katara’s expression was still utterly unreadable. “If you need to sleep first, I’m sure Sokka will understand.”</p>
<p>“No, I should probably go,” Katara relented. She knew what Sokka was like. She’d spent all her life with him. He would pretend to act all affronted the next time he saw her, she would be forced to utter out a meaningless apology, Sokka would sulk, and it would all result in Katara getting a big headache. All in all, a couple of minutes of awkward dialogue with her brother seemed preferable.</p>
<p>She supposed she should get this over with, and wordlessly began traipsing slowly back out the gate and towards the palace, leaving a confused and very concerned Avatar in her wake.</p>
<p>‘What…what’s happened to Katara?’</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Avatar State</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara, Sokka and Aang visit an Earth Kingdom fortress and embark on a new project; Zuko receives unexpected news from home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the past three weeks, Aang had grown extremely wary of Katara. The waterbender slouched over the railings of the ship looking boredly over the ocean wasn’t the waterbender he knew. The waterbender whom he had once considered his best friend...and maybe even future wife, if he played his cards right. She flicked her hand lazily, and he watched in awe as her element responded, completely in her thrall. Spots and streams of water shot up from the ocean, and began almost dancing in formation at her command.</p>
<p>“Wow, Katara, that looks great!” he told her enthusiastically. She shot him a slightly bemused expression and turned coldly away from him. She didn’t stop waterbending, but she was very pointedly looking in a direction where Aang couldn’t catch her eye. Aang sighed forlornly. Ever since Sokka had woken up, Katara had been like this. She had run out of the room in tears, then when he found her two hours later, she had…become this, a shell of her former self. A shell that didn’t laugh, rarely smiled, and barely even spoke. At least, not to Aang. She had not offered to resume his waterbending instruction since their voyage from the North Pole had begun about a week ago. They were travelling with a crew of Northern Water Tribe waterbenders, who were en route to the South Pole to help rebuild their southern sister tribe. On the way, they would drop Aang and his cohorts off in the Earth Kingdom to meet with an ally. From there, they would be escorted to the city of Omashu, home of Aang’s friend King Bumi and his new earthbending teacher. He wasn’t sure why they couldn’t have just flown, it would have been quicker, but Katara had coldly pointed out that Sokka had just fought off death, and that this way was safer. Aang backed off quickly after that.</p>
<p>He didn’t like this new Katara one bit. She was so…cold. And sometimes vicious. Nothing like the old Katara who would hug him and comfort him and offer him advice. It seemed every time Aang went near her, she seemed to instantly get annoyed by his very presence and leave. She wouldn’t even make an excuse – she would just walk away. Aang really didn’t know what had changed. He’d come up with all sorts of excuses for her behaviour – she was stressed out from having almost lost her brother, she was frustrated at still having to battle the rampant misogyny from the male waterbenders of the Northern Water Tribe, she wasn’t getting enough sleep…but none of them seemed to quite fit. She still seemed capable of behaving perfectly cordially with Sokka and Master Pakku. Sokka was family, yes…and Master Pakku was the first one she’d managed to wear down and he accepted her as his first and only female student. He was the one who had proudly proclaimed that Katara’s skill had elevated her to the level of master, albeit to the chagrin of some of his other students. Aang could see how much it infuriated her that she was deemed lesser merely because of her gender, but that didn’t explain her newfound animosity towards Aang. He had <em>never </em>treated Katara like that, or thought she was worth less because she was a girl. So what was it? He desperately wanted to ask her. She had done a good job of avoiding him while Sokka had recovered in the North Pole, but now they were on the move again. On a boat, no less. Katara was as captive aboard as Aang was. She wouldn’t be able to keep escaping him here.</p>
<p>Aang took a deep breath and nervously approached her, but stopped when he saw Sokka emerge from his cabin bearing a scroll.</p>
<p>“Katara! You have to see this – oh, you too, Aang!” Sokka announced. Katara dropped her wrist and the water slopped unceremoniously onto the deck…and all over Sokka. “Hey! Precious old scrolls, sure let’s just throw water over them!” he admonished. Katara let out a mirthless snort of amusement, and bent the water out of the scroll. It danced around her fingers as she contemplated what to do with it. Aang was suddenly struck by an idea. He raised his own hands and bent the water out of Katara’s grasp, and let it splash back into the ocean below them. He knew Katara would be mad, but at least it would force her to look at him. But she didn’t react. At least, not visibly. Her fingers curled back up into her hand, and she dropped both her arms stiffly by her side, and focused all of her attention on her brother.</p>
<p>The scroll Sokka was so keen to show them was a map of the Earth Kingdom. “I know we’re being escorted to Omashu,” Sokka explained as he unfurled it and balanced it on his arms. “But once Aang has finished training with Bumi, I think we should go to Ba Sing Se and try and talk to the Earth King.”</p>
<p>“What for?” Aang asked. “The Earth Kingdom are already involved in the war.”</p>
<p>“Yes, but we’re not a united front,” Sokka clarified. “We already know the Northern Water Tribe won’t get involved, but Aang, even once you learn all of the elements, we still have to actually <em>find </em>the Fire Lord for you to defeat him.”</p>
<p>“Don’t forget about the comet,” Katara muttered.</p>
<p>“Exactly,” Sokka agreed. “If we had years, I’d say don’t worry about it. But we can’t afford to let the Fire Lord see the comet. If he does, the war is as good as over for all of us. We won’t stand a chance. So if we can get the Earth Kingdom to agree to an alliance…I say we bring the war to the Fire Nation.”</p>
<p>“Let them get a taste of it…” Katara breathed, a fascinated smile curling on her lips.</p>
<p>“Well…well, yeah, I guess that makes sense,” Aang said uneasily, rubbing the back of his head. Sokka didn’t seem to notice his lack of enthusiasm. But Katara didn’t miss it.</p>
<p>“What could possibly be wrong with that plan, Aang?” she asked him coolly.</p>
<p>“I…nothing, nothing,” Aang replied, startled. Katara just rolled her eyes and turned back to her brother.</p>
<p>“You should talk to General Fong about it,” Katara suggested to Sokka. “Even if he can’t get us in, he can definitely give you some advice about it.” Sokka nodded in agreement, and rolled the map back up. “You should also keep that,” Katara added.</p>
<p>“Well, I dunno, I mean, it’s not ours…”</p>
<p>“We need it more than they do,” Katara said bluntly. “If you’re worried about what they’ll think, just take it. They won’t even miss it until it’s too late.”</p>
<p>“Katara, do you not remember what happened the <em>last </em>time one of us just took something we thought we needed more?” Sokka reminded her, almost smugly. “What did we learn about stealing that day?” Katara blinked and surveyed him.</p>
<p>“We learned…” she said, as she wrapped her hand around the scroll. “…not to get caught next time.” With a flourish, she yanked the scroll out of Sokka’s grasp. She tucked it into the folds of her dress and walked away without another word. Aang thought he saw the ghost of a grin on her face, but then she was gone. Aang watched her leave uneasily, and turned to the stunned Water Tribesman.</p>
<p>“Sokka…” Aang began nervously. “Have you…have you noticed anything different about Katara?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Sokka replied quietly. “But it’s not something I’ve seen for years.” With that said, Sokka followed in his sister’s footsteps and walked away without another word.</p>
<p>He found her in her own cabin. She was stuffing her possessions into a pack, and he noticed the scroll carefully laid along the bottom before it was buried by a wrap of bindings. Her back was to him, but she heard him come in.</p>
<p>“What do you want, Sokka?” she asked, not looking up.</p>
<p>“How did you know it was me?”</p>
<p>“You and the Avatar are the only ones who would dare enter a lady’s chamber,” she retorted, her voice dripping with uncharacteristic sarcasm. “And I’d prefer it if he stayed away from me. Finally, he seems to be getting the hint.”</p>
<p>“Yeah…that’s part of what I wanted to talk to you about,” Sokka told her. He sat down on the floor and patted for Katara to join him. “Can we talk?”</p>
<p>“You’re talking, aren’t you?” Katara did not sit down. She continued packing her things and reorganising her bag, but Sokka could tell she was listening.</p>
<p>“Okay, okay, no need to be sarcastic,” Sokka chided gently. “Jeez, I don’t know where you get it from…” his voice trailed off as he looked at Katara pointedly. He was fighting to suppress a grin. Katara stopped and stared back at him. He seemed to be waiting for something, a reaction. ‘Oh, he must think what he just said was funny…’ she realised. Katara forced a small smile onto her face, hoping it would sate Sokka’s need for acknowledgement. It did. “That’s more like it,” he said happily. Katara was surprised. She didn’t think she had been very convincing at all. Her brother really was a simple creature, it seemed. She shouldn’t need to keep putting so much effort in with him. “Katara, I’m worried about you.”</p>
<p>“Why?”</p>
<p>“Well, you’re…you don’t seem very…happy,” Sokka began, fumbling for the right words. Katara watched him curiously, but made no move to interrupt. “That is, you haven’t seemed like your old self, I guess.”</p>
<p>“Do tell, what is my old self?” she queried.</p>
<p>“Well, you know…smiling, being nice, being…being helpful, and…I’d like to say not stealing scrolls but we both know that’s not true.” This time Katara did laugh. But it sounded hollow. As if it had just been a physical reaction, and not at all reflecting how she felt inside. “Katara, the only other time I saw you like this was when…when our mother died.”</p>
<p>“What’s your point?” Katara asked coldly. Sokka sighed. He didn’t want to have this conversation any more than she did.</p>
<p>“Is…is this my fault?” Sokka asked her sadly. “Are you…what did I put you through? When I was sick? I can’t even imagine how that must have been for you.”</p>
<p>“And I don’t expect you to. Why would you? You were the one lying in bed dying.”</p>
<p>“You did that thing, where you didn’t speak or smile for ages. It was like…like you were shutting down. Gran-Gran said it was because you were too young to deal with what had happened, so you closed yourself off to protect yourself. And I think that’s what’s happening now…” Sokka waited for Katara to interject, but she didn’t say anything. “So, I guess I just want you to know, I’m here, Katara, I’m fine. Thanks to the healers, I’ve never been better. So you don’t need to worry about me.”</p>
<p>There was an agonisingly long pause before Katara finally responded.</p>
<p>“It’s…it’s not something I can just shut off, Sokka,” she said warily. She sounded small, and scared, and Sokka softened. He felt a wave of affection for his sister sweep through him, followed by a wave of guilt. This was his fault. If he had been more careful…if he had been quicker to react, then Katara would never have got in this state. He stood up and threw his arms around her. Katara stiffened at his touch…just like she had done nine years ago. But Sokka wasn’t letting go.</p>
<p>“I understand,” he told her, before pulling away, his embrace unreturned. “I’m just worried about you. Please, please fight it? Please come back to us?” At his words, Katara was transported to three weeks ago, when she had been kneeling at the Spirit Oasis, making the same impassioned plea about Sokka. Well, it had worked. At a cost, but it had worked. She carelessly pushed the memory aside. “Aang’s really worried about you, too.”</p>
<p>“I’m not surprised,” she sighed, rolling her eyes in frustration at the thought of the Avatar. “Whether I’m nice to him seems to be about the only thing he notices anymore.”</p>
<p>“He cares about you-”</p>
<p>“He’s the <em>Avatar!</em>” she snapped suddenly, causing Sokka to flinch. “He has more important things to stress about! It is his job and no-one else’s to end this war, or so everyone keeps saying. I don’t understand why he doesn’t just get on with it so we can move on.” Sokka’s mouth was agape. Where had <em>that</em> come from? He wasn’t even sure which part was more worrying. But suddenly, now, her anger made sense. The pressure they were all under was immense. Everyone was pinning their hopes on a fourteen-year-old boy, a boy who showed much more interest in playing and making friends, animal or human, than mastering the elements and fulfilling his duty. And Katara was his teacher. Of course it had to be frustrating… She was getting restless, that was all. They had spent the last few months with only one goal in mind. Now that goal had been fulfilled, she was ready for the next one. Sokka’s injury had delayed them somewhat, but he was raring to go now. Aang was the one who seemed to show the least interest in the next part of their journey. The only part that the younger boy seemed keen on was getting to see Bumi again.</p>
<p>The mail delivery system of Omashu probably had something to do with it as well, Sokka thought.</p>
<p>“I…I think I understand now,” Sokka told her cautiously. “Of course you’re frustrated…I am too. But we’re moving on <em>now</em>, Katara. We only have a few hours left before we get to the Earth Kingdom.” Katara wasn’t certain what Sokka thought he understood, but whatever it was, it seemed to placate him. Good. Perhaps now he’d stop asking her so many stupid questions. It was getting harder and harder to keep up the pretence around him. She didn’t even bother with Aang. He was a child, he could think and fret and give her those sad, betrayed, pathetic little eyes all he wanted. It wasn’t going to move her. Part of her was disgusted with herself that it ever had. Had she <em>really </em>been so easy to manipulate before? “Come and talk to me if you ever need to, okay?” Katara nodded, and Sokka left her in peace to continue packing. Not that there was much more to go. Katara had already packed, she had just had to move some of her possessions around to fit the scroll in. She didn’t imagine they would need it. Once they again reach terra firma, they would be flying everywhere. But it didn’t hurt to have it. They certainly needed it more than sheltered, Northern waterbenders who were only circumventing the Earth Kingdom to get to their actual destination. Katara was quietly counting on Sokka forgetting its existence, however, but it would be no matter if he didn’t. She had got it off him once before, she could easily do it again if it came to it.</p>
<p>When the ship finally lowered anchor just a couple of miles away from the Earth Kingdom coast, Katara met the others on the deck, where the whole crew had gathered to bid them all farewell. Master Pakku even came bearing gifts. For Katara, Master Pakku presented a vial of water from the Spirit Oasis. “It has unique properties,” he proclaimed. Katara didn’t need telling. She could almost feel it humming in her palm. It was so potent…so powerful. What possibilities, what damage could Katara wreak if she unleashed the water? “As a fighter <em>and </em>a healer, I have no doubt you will make the right decision when the time comes,” Master Pakku said.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Master Pakku,” she said quietly. He opened his arms to embrace her. Katara reluctantly walked into it, and quickly pulled away. She was glad they were leaving the boat now. There was still General Fong and his men, but at least they had no preconceived notions or expectations of her behaviour. Perhaps she wouldn’t even make an effort with them. What was the point? They were there for one night, then they were to be escorted. It would be a waste of her energy.</p>
<p>He handed Aang some waterbending scrolls, with a gentle reminder that nothing was a substitute for a real master. Aang stole a glance at Katara, but she refused to meet his gaze. She had a mind to have a look at those scrolls that Master Pakku had given Aang herself. There was still plenty she could learn. Sokka got a pat on the arm and a quick “take care, son.”</p>
<p>As soon as they had all scrambled atop Appa, Sokka shouted out to Master Pakku: “say hi to Gran-Gran for us!” and they took off in the direction of the fortress over which General Fong presided. It was one of the first lines of Earth Kingdom defence on the west coast, but the title and position were more honorary and formal than anything. They had never once had to mobilise in one hundred years of war. Katara suspected General Fong was probably the offspring of some wealthy, well-to-do Earth Kingdom aristocrat who had been elevated so that daddy’s wealth would continue to line the army’s pockets. He was probably a complete imbecile who couldn’t mount an ostrich-horse without help, let alone a defence against the most powerful nation on Earth. They <em>had </em>to know this insignificant sliver of the Earth Kingdom would never be an outright target, since clearly the Fire Nation did.</p>
<p>Still, imbecile or not, he was offering them shelter and a heavily-fortified escort for their journey to Omashu. That was a nice thing, she supposed, though she certainly didn’t need it. If it was up to her, they would just keep going now. The sooner they got to Omashu, the sooner Aang would be forced to start taking his duties seriously and the sooner she could put as much distance between them as possible. They would both be in Omashu of course, but she imagined both Sokka and the Avatar would have too much of their time taken up to pay much attention to her. And that was how she wanted it from now on. But for Sokka’s sake, she would quietly stick with their plan.</p>
<p>To their surprise, General Fong greeted them personally as they landed in the vast courtyard of the palatial fortress. ‘Hmm…very wealthy daddy indeed,’ Katara thought as she began tossing their packs from Appa’s saddle into Sokka’s outstretched arms below.</p>
<p>“Welcome, Avatar Aang!” General Fong said pleasantly, stretching his arms towards them. He was clad in the traditional Earth Kingdom colours of beige and green, and a neat, well-groomed chestnut coloured beard framed his face. He was flanked by his men on all sides, all wearing the same uniform, albeit less adorned than that of the General. “I am General Fong,” he continued with a bow. His men followed suit in unison. “And welcome to all of you great heroes – Appa, Momo, brave Sokka, the mighty Katara.”</p>
<p>“Mighty Katara?” she blinked, a small yet genuine smile gracing her lips. “I like that.” She did. She found she liked that quite a bit. Even if General Fong was almost certainly every bit the simpleton she suspected he was. Her suspicion was quickly confirmed when they were interrupted by a peal of whistles resounding in the air above them. They all turned and were greeted to a colourful fireworks display. Katara sighed. How fruitless. What, precisely, was he hoping to achieve with this pointless show? Katara fiercely bit her lip to prevent herself from saying something. ‘It’s just one night,’ she told herself. ‘One more night. I can do this.’ Sokka, of course, was impressed. Shiny things and bright, flashing lights had that effect on him.</p>
<p>General Fong and his men led them to his stately courtroom once the display was over. Katara knelt with Sokka and Aang on a large cushion strategically placed in the centre of the aisle, while General Fong took his throne on a dais that, from this angle, made him tower mightily above them. Katara had no doubt that this was the intention. What shortcomings did General Fong have to make up for, she wondered.</p>
<p>He largely only addressed Aang as he spoke. “I think you’re ready to fight the Fire Lord now,” he declared. Beside her, Aang winced.</p>
<p>“No-no I’m not!” he protested. To Katara, it sounded very much like the feeble whine of a child.</p>
<p>“He hasn’t learned all of the elements yet,” she pointed out. “He’s not ready.” Aang looked at her in surprise, and smiled, grateful that she was backing him up. Maybe the way she had been acting before had just been a blip? Maybe Sokka had spoken to her and it did the trick? He wasn’t sure, but he wasn’t about to push it. He’d missed having Katara on side.</p>
<p>“Nonsense!” General Fong rebuffed. “I heard all about what you did in the North Pole, Avatar. You single-handedly wiped out an entire fleet in minutes!”</p>
<p>“But, sir, Aang could only do that because he was in the Avatar State,” Sokka explained.</p>
<p>“Right,” Aang chimed in. “It’s this special state where-”</p>
<p>“I’m well aware of the Avatar State,” General Fong interrupted him. “I’m saying we should use it! Without it, we’d never even be able to reach Fire Nation shores. But with you as our secret weapon, we could cut a swath through the heart of the Fire Nation, straight to the capital! And there, you can unleash your destruction and put an end to this!” Katara raised her eyebrows. She was genuinely surprised. What General Fong said was not only making sense, but also exactly what she and Sokka had been mulling over on the boat…</p>
<p>‘Not just a meal ticket, huh?’ she thought as she regarded him.</p>
<p>“But…but I don’t know how to control it!” Aang cried out. “I don’t even know how to get into it, not really.”</p>
<p>“Then we’ll work on that!” General Fong insisted. “We’ll spend a few days trying to trigger your Avatar State, and then you’ll be ready.”</p>
<p>Aang didn’t say anything in response. General Fong seemed to take that as consent.</p>
<p>“Excellent, well now that that’s been decided, we can-”</p>
<p>“Nothing has been decided,” Katara said curtly. “We have a plan.” She could almost feel Aang beaming beside her.</p>
<p>“She’s right,” Aang agreed with her. “I’m going to master all four elements and do this the right way.”</p>
<p>“Well while you waste months doing that, the war is still going on,” General Fong pointed out. He beckoned Aang over to him and they stood by the balcony that overlooked a different part of the fortress. They were out of earshot, but Katara’s mind was whirring, going over General Fong’s idea. Sokka seemed to be considering it himself…or he was wondering what they would be having for dinner that night. Yes, that one seemed more likely. A simple creature of habit, Sokka’s first thoughts were always going to be his stomach.</p>
<p>At least he was easy to read.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>It was the happiest Zuko had felt in exactly five years. After all this time…finally, <em>finally </em>he would be going home! His father had had a change of heart and wanted him, Zuko, back at his side. Perhaps it was his age? Age had certainly done plenty to soften his uncle up - there was no reason to assume it wouldn't do the same for his father. They were brothers, after all. Zuko was certain his father was no doubt still disappointed in him, but at least if he was in the Fire Nation, he had a chance to make it right. He would make him proud of his son. He had been a child when he had been sent away, but now he was a man. A man worthy of the title of Crown Prince, and later the throne.</p>
<p>The day he had been banished still hung heavily in his memory. Or more accurately, the two days leading up to it. The day of the Agni Kai…and the day afterwards. Zuko had been immediately placed under the special care of the Royal physician at the Sanatorium after the Agni Kai at his uncle's behest. Defying everyone’s expectations, Zuko had survived the injury with his hearing intact in his left ear, and minimal vision loss in his left eye. All things considered, it had been the best possible outcome for him. He would be scarred, for life they warned him, but he would live.</p>
<p>That thought had kept him going through the painful hours as he sat in his bed and waited for…nothing. He supposed he must have been waiting for his next meal. The other patients’ days were broken up by visitors, and the sound of talking and even laughter could be heard echoing down the halls. But not in Zuko’s room. Not until his uncle came to visit, that was. But his usually jovial and cheerful uncle seemed to have nothing to say. He kept looking sadly at his nephew, always seeming to want to say something, but losing his nerve at the last minute. It would have grated on Zuko, had he not been in so much pain.</p>
<p>After a few hours of that awkward silence, Zuko had then been thoroughly amazed to hear he had another visitor and asked if he was up to it. Naturally, Zuko had nodded eagerly. He had hoped fervently that it was his father. He had decided there and then that his father had done what he'd thought was best, and he didn't expect or even want an apology. Just to know he cared enough to check on him would have meant the world to Zuko. But he had quickly had to dismiss that idea. If his father wanted to see him, no-one in the Fire Nation would have been bold enough to make him wait to ensure that Zuko was 'up to it'.</p>
<p>He'd then wondered briefly if his visitor was Azula, and he wasn’t sure if that would be a good thing or not. Their rivalry could be…intense, to say the least, but she was still his sister. To him, that meant something. Had meant something.</p>
<p>‘No, it still means something,’ he reminded himself. Azula was the one who had come to deliver the goods news after all. She hadn’t seemed exactly glad to do it, but as she had pointed out, she also didn’t have to travel all that way personally. They could easily have found them by messenger hawk. So why <em>had </em>she travelled all this way? That was very…uncharacteristic of Azula.</p>
<p>‘Azula always lies.’</p>
<p>The old mantra he had whispered to himself as a child came flooding back uninvited: ‘Azula always lies, Azula always lies, <em>Azula always lies</em>.’</p>
<p>
  <em>His visitor did indeed turn out to be Azula.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That looks painful, Zuzu,” she remarked innocently, pointing at his face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That’s enough, Princess!” Uncle Iroh snapped.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“What? I’m just worried about my older brother. He’s going to need all the help he can get…”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Azula-!” Iroh began, but Zuko interrupted him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Nice try, Azula. If you’re just here to taunt me, do me a favour and piss off.” Iroh raised his eyebrows at the curse word, but didn’t say anything.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“That’s not a nice way to say goodbye, dear brother,” she chimed. “I’d have thought after all these years, I’d at </em>least <em>get a hug.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“What are you talking about?!” Zuko hissed furiously. Stupid Azula! He should have known better. Blood meant nothing, not when that blood was curdled inside a festering wound of a family. She wasn’t his sister, not really. Whatever. He’d never had her before, he didn’t need her now.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“I overheard dad talking to some soldiers about you…” Azula muttered, and it was clear she was fighting a smirk. Iroh stiffened. What could his brother possibly be plotting to do to the poor boy </em>now? <em>He had suffered enough. He was thirteen, a child. What Ozai had put him through was utterly barbaric! Fire Lord or no, there was no possible justification for it.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh, I’m sure you did,” Zuko retorted sarcastically. Azula nodded enthusiastically.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah, he said something about needing a crew and a ship…oh and that you have to be out of the Fire Nation by dawn tomorrow or they’ll kill you.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Shut up, you’re lying!” Zuko shouted at her. But he had paled as white as a sheet. The blood in his veins turned to ice as the horrible realisation sank in. His father was…going to banish him? But where to? Where was he supposed to go? What was he supposed to do?!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Why would I lie about this, Zuzu?” Azula asked, widening her eyes innocently. “Like I said, I’m just looking out for my older brother. Seeing as we might never see each other again.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Azula, that’s enough!” Iroh barked. “With all due respect, Princess, leave. The Prince needs to recuperate.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“As you wish, Uncle,” Azula replied boredly, and skipped out of the room, not looking back.</em>
</p>
<p>A short while later, a messenger had arrived, with the terms of Zuko’s banishment. Azula hadn’t been lying for once, and in his heart, Zuko had known that she hadn’t. He was to be gone from the Fire Nation by sunrise. If he was found on Fire Nation territory after that, the soldiers had the authority to kill. He was not to return to the Fire Nation except by royal decree of the Fire Lord. This requirement to a royal decree would be waived, however, if he returned either with the Avatar, or with proof of the Avatar’s death by his own hands. Any other encroachment into Fire Nation territory would be viewed as an invasion and treated accordingly. Zuko was granted a small warship and a crew of 15 men to staff it. Men who were not there by choice, but by obligation. Men who were in effect being banished too, leaving their families behind, possibly never to be seen again.</p>
<p>From that day to the day his crew had been commandeered, Zuko had always quietly been afraid of a mutiny. He had only been thirteen years old, and a mediocre firebender at best. He wouldn’t have stood a chance against them if they did. As he had aged, those fears had lessened somewhat, but only because his confidence in his firebending had grown. The threat of mutiny had still lingered in the back of his mind, never resting.</p>
<p>In the darkest moments of his despair, he thought that must have been what his father intended. Force men into the position, no end date in sight, and let the frustration simmer and boil over until they snapped and killed Zuko just to end their own sentences. That would rid Ozai of his worthless disappointment of a son without him having to clean up any messes, and the men would probably be declared war heroes and allowed to return home.</p>
<p>His uncle had always tried to talk him out of such notions, but as the five years had gone by, Zuko could tell when Iroh was being sincere and when he was just trying to be comforting. When Iroh discussed about how Ozai must care for Zuko, why else would he bother to banish him, he had used his comforting voice.</p>
<p>When he had told Zuko that of course Ozai didn’t anticipate a mutiny that would result in Zuko’s death, that had also been his comforting voice.</p>
<p>But things were different now, Zuko reasoned. His father wanted his family close to him. He wanted him back. That thought whirled around in Zuko’s mind like a pleasant melody as Zuko eagerly packed his meagre possessions into a small bag. He hadn’t been able to salvage much from his ship – most of his possessions had been blown to smithereens with the rest of the vessel. The knife gifted to him from his uncle was always on his person, and it had been an extraordinary stroke of fortune that he had also had his Blue Spirit mask on him even as he’d dived overboard to escape the explosion.</p>
<p>For Zuko, going home was a done deal. His uncle, of course, had reservations. Most likely, he just didn’t want to leave the massages behind! Zuko had spent most of their time here quietly fuming. Iroh had insisted on spending the last of their precious money on room and board at this spa. While Zuko was grateful for the bed for the next few nights, the massages his uncle insisted on were an unnecessary luxury. His uncle’s muscles may relax, but that wouldn’t help them eat!</p>
<p>But that didn’t matter anymore. There would be food aplenty on the ship. He hoped his uncle would decide to join him. It had been five long years, and Zuko was finally going home.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>After his earlier talk with General Fong, Aang had tentatively reached a decision. He would do it. He would try to trigger the Avatar State. If it succeeded, they could end the war. If it failed, well, they would only lose a couple of days. General Fong had to understand they couldn’t waste weeks or even months on what could turn out to be a futile endeavour.</p>
<p>He wandered into the room he shared with Sokka. He was pleasantly surprised to find Katara in there as well, reclining on Aang’s bed of all places. A feeling of warmth at the sight of her filled his chest. This was good. This had to be.</p>
<p>“Well, I told General Fong I’m in,” he said nervously. “I’m going to try and trigger the Avatar State.”</p>
<p>Sokka nodded in approval. “Why not? We saw what you can do at the North Pole. We don’t need to spend months training when you can just…you know, glow it up.” Aang sniggered at Sokka’s remark, and turned to Katara. She was gazing up at the ceiling, with no hint of what was going on in her head.</p>
<p>“What-what do you think, Katara?” Aang asked her, feeling strangely apprehensive. He half-expected her to snap at him, or maybe just walk out. But she didn’t. She sighed thoughtfully as if she was considering his question. Aang waited with bated breath to hear what she would have to say. She would probably be against it. But that would be okay, because that would come from a place of caring and friendship. The place he wanted to be again.</p>
<p>“It’s a tough one to call,” she mused out loud. “It’s more efficient. This plan would certainly be a lot faster.” The element of surprise wasn’t to be trifled with, after all. If Aang waited to finish his training, they would probably be tailed and harassed the entire time, and it wouldn’t come as any kind of a shock when Aang finally moved to confront the Fire Lord. But if they did it now…when the world knew there was no way Aang was ready…who would see that coming? “But it’s also a lot riskier. You don’t have any control in the Avatar State so how can we be sure you’ll actually do what you’re supposed to? You’ve always been too emotional every other time you’ve gone into it. How do we know we can trust you?” Those last few words felt like a dagger piercing Aang’s heart. Again and again. What did she mean how did they know they could trust him?</p>
<p>“What-what do you mean? Of course you can trust me!” he protested desperately. Sokka sat up in interest at their exchange.</p>
<p>“You’re a child,” Katara replied simply. “The first time you went into the Avatar State, you were throwing a tantrum.”</p>
<p>“Whoa, Katara, that’s a little-” Sokka began, but Aang interrupted him. That warm feeling from a few moments ago had quickly been replaced by a sensation Aang never thought he would feel about Katara – anger.</p>
<p>“How can you say that?” Aang retorted, sounding helpless and desperate to Katara’s ears. “I had just discovered my entire culture had been wiped out! I saw Monk Gyatso’s skeleton, I…how can you be so <em>cruel</em>?!”</p>
<p>“The first thing you said to me when we found you was to ask if I wanted to go penguin-sledding,” Katara pointed out.</p>
<p>“What does <em>that </em>have to do with anything?!”</p>
<p>“That’s precisely my point, Avatar,” she replied coolly. She sat up and stared Aang directly in the eye. A twisted smile graced her features, for once reaching her eyes. “Hey, if temper tantrums are what works, great. Maybe Sokka should go and get General Fong now.”</p>
<p>“Katara, can we talk?” Sokka said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Aang’s fists were clenched at his side, and he had been stunned into silence at Katara’s harsh words. He looked at her with a pained expression, but she didn’t even do him the dignity of looking back at him. What was her <em>problem</em>?</p>
<p>Katara sighed again, stood up and followed Sokka out of the room.</p>
<p>As soon as they were in the corridor, Sokka rounded on her. If what Sokka wanted was privacy, he was going about in a very stupid way, Katara thought. Aang would be able to hear every word. But perhaps that could be used to their advantage.</p>
<p>“So, Katara…what the fuck was that?!” Sokka swore loudly.</p>
<p>“We’ve all been coddling him for too long,” Katara replied simply. “He needs to hear some harsh truths. Otherwise nothing will get done.”</p>
<p>“Even if that’s true, what you just did was <em>horrible</em>,” Sokka hissed at her in no uncertain terms, frowning at his sister. He didn’t remember Katara being so mean the last time she had been like this. “He…he didn’t deserve that. Come on, he’s like a little baby bird, you can’t just-”</p>
<p>“You know what happens to baby birds who don’t use their wings? They die. They get stomped on, attacked by predators, or they just starve to death,” Katara replied fiercely. “He is the Avatar. He does not have the time to be a baby bird. He does not have the time to do this the ‘right way’. And if he really is so fragile he can’t take a few harsh words, then how is he <em>ever </em>going to defeat the Fire Lord?” Her voice rose with determination and what sounded like anger as she spoke. Sokka didn’t reply. As cold as Katara’s logic was, he had to admit she did have a point. “Maybe we can write to him,” Katara continued sarcastically. “We’ll ask him real nice that when the times comes he doesn’t say anything mean to our poor, fragile Aangie.”</p>
<p>“Okay, I get it!” Sokka interrupted. “Just…look, I’ll talk to him, okay? I believe your heart was in the right place, but what you said was just cruel.” There was that word again. Cruel. Had she been cruel, Katara wondered?</p>
<p>More importantly, did it matter? Unlike Sokka, Katara had worked out that Aang would be able to hear every word that was exchanged between them. Perhaps being compared to a baby bird would make him buck up and get on with it.</p>
<p>“Do what you want,” she replied breezily. “I’m going to go to bed.” She began walking towards her own room, just across the hall from the boys’, before she stopped. “Good night, Sokka.”</p>
<p>“Good night, Katara,” he replied uneasily.</p>
<p>‘I’ve been really selfish,’ he realised. He had been so absorbed with recuperating and planning and logistics that he had completely neglected his sister. Was this why she was being so cold and stand-offish? Because Sokka hadn’t been paying enough attention? ‘No, that’s crazy,’ he told himself. Katara wasn’t the sort to be put out just because she wasn’t the centre of attention. Katara was the peacekeeper, the one who made sure everyone else was okay. And maybe that was the problem. While Katara had been looking out for them, who had been looking out for her? And it should have been Sokka. He was her older brother. He vowed that once they were in Omashu, he would do a better job. He would coddle and fuss over <em>her</em> if that’s what it took. He would get Katara back.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>The first day had been a complete waste of time. General Fong, despite his initial flash of brilliance, was also definitely not short of terrible ideas which only grew more ridiculous as time went on. There was the special chi-stimulating tea which just made Aang whizz around on an air scooter for half an hour before finally crashing, in both senses of the word, into a pillar. There was Sokka’s genius idea to scare Aang into the Avatar state, which involved putting Momo in his shirt and promptly staggering when Aang yelped and twisting his ankle. Then there was the deeply moving ceremony in which Aang was paraded in traditional garb from all four nations and the four elements were combined and thrown over Aang. It turned out the four elements combined created mud. Katara didn’t laugh much these days, but the sight of Aang in those absurd clothes caused a pleasant but irrational and unexpected spasm within her, and she tittered quietly to herself as the ceremony was underway. She spat out a laugh when the mud was thrown over him. She stopped laughing when Aang sneezed the mud all over her, Sokka and General Fong. Katara felt oddly satisfied, however.</p>
<p>Katara very rarely felt anything anymore. She could remember it, the sensation of your entire system filling with emotion, be it happiness, grief or rage. Now though, it felt as though all of the nerves had died and melted away, and Katara was left feeling empty. Her body occasionally exhibited small slivers of what used to be, but they were never anything more than glancing echoes. None of it was real, and none of it lasted. It was convenient to know she was still capable of humour, though. She had been wondering.</p>
<p>After dinner that evening, Katara wandered off to explore the fortress. They had seen much of it during the day, as each idea to trigger the Avatar State seemed to require a new location. Truthfully, Katara didn’t care what she found. She just wanted to be alone.</p>
<p>But fortune was not with her in that endeavour that night, as Aang quickly found her. They hadn’t spoken since the night before. Aang had been too apprehensive, and Katara simply had no wish nor need to.</p>
<p>“Hey, Katara?” Aang called. She stopped and turned to face him. “Can we talk?” he asked her, approaching somewhat nervously. As if she was one of those great beasts Aang loved to talk about taming and riding. Katara really didn’t want to speak to him, and she didn’t want to hear what he had to say. She was seriously tempted to just ignore him and keep walking, but something in her made her stop.</p>
<p>“Sure,” she replied. Aang visibly exhaled in relief and trotted up beside her and leaned over the railing. Katara turned and followed suit. At least she wouldn’t have to look at him and try and pretend she wasn’t loathing every second she spent in his company. If he wasn’t the so-called hope for the world, she wouldn’t give him the time of day. What twisted stroke of destiny was it that the saviour the world needed was an irresponsible, immature child?</p>
<p>“I just…I just wanted you to know that there’s no hard feelings about last night,” Aang told her, trying hard to sound serious. “I forgive you.” He paused to see if Katara would react, but she didn’t even look at him, her gaze fixed on a spot in the distance. “Sokka told me that you’re worried. And…I completely understand now, Katara.” Katara snorted. She had been ‘worried’? That was Sokka’s take on their conversation last night? “No, honestly, I do. Sokka said you were worried because this is a war and…well, I’m the Avatar. I <em>should </em>be taking this more seriously. You were right, and I’m going to from now on. Thank you for letting me know.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t.”</p>
<p>“Well, you let Sokka know and he let me know, so…I think that counts,” Aang smiled encouragingly.</p>
<p>“If you say so,” Katara sighed. “Why are you telling me all this?”</p>
<p>“Because I want you to know that I care what you think,” Aang said earnestly. “And from now on, I’m going to do a much better job at listening. I promise. Things will go back to normal soon!” Aang hoped with all his heart that that last statement was true.</p>
<p>But the whole encounter did get him thinking. If Katara’s concern was that he wasn’t taking this seriously enough, then could he honestly say that he was going the right way about it? The Avatar State was the most powerful Aang would ever be, yes, but what he had said to General Fong was the truth. He couldn’t control going into it, much less what he did when he was actually in it. And Katara had been right, too. If he couldn’t control himself, how could anyone be sure he would do what was needed of him? What if the State got triggered at the wrong time and he went on his own path of destruction? Even if he did manage to assume some basic control, would he still be Aang? Would he be able to think about what needed doing? Or would he just react blindly, and not be able to tell friend from foe? He couldn’t remember what had happened on any of the previous occasions he had entered the Avatar State. When he came to, all he felt was exhaustion. Sometimes his nerves felt like they were on fire as the energy drained from his fingertips and retreated into whatever abyss from which they came, until they were summoned once more. It wasn’t a power source Aang could just tap into at will.</p>
<p>It bothered Aang all night, and he lay tossing and turning whilst Sokka snored peacefully beside him. One arm and leg were hanging off the bed. Aang almost felt envious. That was the slumber of a man without a care in the world. Or at least, without the weight of the world on his shoulders.</p>
<p>“Sokka, I’ve decided,” Aang piped up. “I’m not going to try and trigger the Avatar State. It’s too dangerous.”</p>
<p>“Uuhhh…okay,” Sokka mumbled sleepily, and immediately rolled over, leaving Aang to his musings once more. He wished he could go and speak to Katara. She would know what to say to him to make him feel better. Or at least she would have done anyway.</p>
<p>The next morning, Aang braced himself to deliver the news to General Fong. Sokka and Katara stood behind him to his right as he approached the throne alone. Aang found it almost heartening to know that Katara was there. She hadn’t got so fed up of him that she’d just left him to it. That had to count for something. He glanced over at her, hoping for some strength. He took a deep breath and explained his predicament to the general.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Aang concluded.</p>
<p>“And you’re sure there’s nothing we can try?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. The thing is, I can only go into the Avatar State when I’m in genuine danger,” Aang explained, relief rushing through him. He was pleased General Fong seemed to be taking it so well. The general narrowed his eyes, and sighed loudly.</p>
<p>“I was afraid you’d say that,” he said quietly, and suddenly stamped his foot. Without warning, the stone table in front of the throne raced towards Aang. Before the boy had time to react, it crashed into him, continuing its slide backwards. Together they smashed through the window behind him and went tumbling into the courtyard below.</p>
<p>Katara’s eyes widened in interest. ‘Where did <em>that </em>come from, General?’ she wondered. She was genuinely impressed. She had not seen that coming.</p>
<p>“Aang!” Sokka cried and made a dash for the gap in the wall, but two of General Fong’s soldiers held him back and pinned his arms to his sides. Curiosity piqued, Katara ran for the gap herself. She was quicker and more agile than Sokka and managed to escape the soldiers’ grasp, until one of them bodily tackled her to the floor. She inched forward just enough so that she could lean over and see what was taking place in the courtyard below. Behind her, she heard Sokka squirming and demanding to be let go, and she was almost grateful for the sweating hulk holding her down. At least now she wouldn’t have to explain why she wasn’t rushing in to help.</p>
<p>Katara watched with fascination as General Fong’s earthbenders all turned on Aang at the former’s command. At first, they mostly shot rocks and their colossal stone discs at him. Aang being Aang spent most of his time dodging and weaving, but the earthbenders were relentless and growing more vicious with their attacks. Katara’s lips curled into a mirthless smile, an action she wasn’t even aware of. She was utterly mesmerised. Earthbending was a very, very different beast. It was a harsh and unforgiving form of bending. This particular style seemed specifically designed for wounding and breaking bones – the aim didn’t seem to be to kill. It was as Aang had said – he needed to be in genuine danger, and clearly General Fong had taken it upon himself to place Aang in that state. This was a prolonged and targeted attack. This wasn’t just shooting flames and hoping for the best, like she had observed with the many firebenders whose paths she had had the misfortune to cross.</p>
<p>Katara couldn’t explain what was happening inside her. She wouldn’t say she was happy, or even particularly joyful watching the Avatar get his ass handed to him because he was too stubborn to fight back, but there was definitely something. It was…<em>interesting</em>. The most interesting thing Katara had witnessed since she had begun feeling like this. If it could be called feeling, that was. But whatever this was, this was new. For once, she wasn’t bored out of her mind. She was feeling…excited.</p>
<p>As the fight went on, she overcame her initial reluctance to run down and help. Now, <em>all </em>she wanted was to get involved and try to capture a piece of that excitement for herself. By now, Sokka had fought his way free and wrestled the other soldier off Katara. Together, they ran back into the fortress, down the steps and into the courtyard. Sokka readied his boomerang and Katara popped the cap on her waterskin. The smile still hadn’t gone away.</p>
<p>It only grew wider and more pronounced as she and Sokka joined the fighting. Sokka, as usual, proved himself to be very handy with his boomerang, and Katara knew she had been right not to underestimate him, non-bender as he was. He managed to forcibly dismount one of the soldiers from their ostrich-horse, and he cautiously approached it, muttering “nice bird, horse thingy” before taking the reins for himself. Katara, for her part, jumped straight into the action. Her preferred move was the water-whip, which made an extremely satisfying sound as it landed on her target. The low grunts and occasional scream of pain made it even more delicious. More recently, she had also been tinkering with ice daggers, but she had only a very limited supply of water with her. As tempting as it was, she didn’t have enough to be able to end the battle. Mastery of waterbending unfortunately didn’t grant her the power to draw water from thin air. Not yet, at least…if those scrolls that Pakku had gifted to Aang were anything to go by, even that might only be a matter of time.</p>
<p>With the help of his friends, Aang had managed to whizz away back up the steps on an air scooter, much to General Fong’s chagrin. He turned to face Katara, who had unwittingly found herself surrounded by the remaining earthbenders. General Fong graced her with a cruel smile of his own. She met his gaze coldly. “You might be able to avoid us, Avatar,” General Fong called out to Aang above them. “But she can’t.” As one, the remaining earthbenders rearranged their discs into a V formation and penned Katara in. She lashed out at General Fong furiously with her water-whip, but before it could make contact, the General bent the earth to grasp the water in mid-air. As the elements collided, the rock crumbled into sand at the General’s command, which absorbed all of the water. Katara watched in awe as her element disappeared from her control. She didn’t yet know how to pull it back once it had been absorbed. She was powerless…</p>
<p>With that realisation, something entirely new stirred in Katara. Was it fear? Was she afraid? Opposite her, General Fong lightly clenched his hand into a claw, and the earth beneath Katara’s feet fell away. She sank into the stone up to her knees, and try as she might, she couldn’t wrest herself free.</p>
<p>“I can’t move!” she shouted up at Aang as he watched on in horror.</p>
<p>General Fong clenched his hand ever so slightly tighter, and Katara sank to her waist.</p>
<p>“Katara!” she heard Sokka shout in panic. But Katara herself wasn’t panicking. The smile that had fallen away when she’d been penned in broke back out beyond her control, and she exclaimed in shock, sounding almost joyful. To everyone else, it sounded like fear.</p>
<p>‘I’m not afraid,’ Katara realised. With one quick move, General Fong could bury her alive, never to be seen again. She should be quaking, she should be begging for mercy. At least, that was what she imagined she should do. But the reality was…this was exhilarating. Katara couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so <em>alive</em>. Her whole body was tingling with anticipation. Her chest felt like it was soaring and, for the first time in weeks, full. It wasn’t emotion, not quite, but it was something. She had felt so empty for so long. Her heart used to sometimes burst with all of her feelings. But it had felt like a vast, empty cavern since Sokka had been wounded. Until today…until this moment…</p>
<p>“Stop this! You don’t have to hurt her!” Aang begged on her behalf as he jumped back down into the courtyard.</p>
<p>“You know what I’m looking for, Avatar,” the general replied. His hand was still raised, poised to drag Katara down further. At Aang’s shocked silence, he clenched even tighter, and Katara sank to her chest.</p>
<p>“Please, I can’t control it! I don’t know what to do!” Aang shouted desperately.</p>
<p>“Then she dies,” General Fong replied simply. Katara immediately sank to her neck.</p>
<p>“Please!” she forced herself to utter, more for Aang’s benefit than anything. She could sense the change that was taking place in him. She had seen it before. He was on the verge. He was so close…</p>
<p>“You don’t have to do this!” Aang yelled.</p>
<p>“You’ve left me no choice, Avatar,” General Fong said calmly, and clenched his hand fully into a fist, and Katara disappeared from view, fully interred in the earth. That was when everything went black.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>It was a trick. It had all been a lie. Of course it had. It was Azula. And <em>Azula always lies</em>. And now, Zuko was not only still banished and unwanted at home, he was on the run from his own country. A refugee. How had his life become such an embarrassment? How had <em>he </em>become such an embarrassment?</p>
<p>‘Father was right all along,’ he thought dejectedly. Beside him, his uncle panted heavily from the exertion. They didn’t know how long they had been running, but they finally came to a stop beside a river after putting as much distance between themselves and Azula as possible. His uncle looked like he wanted to say something, but was too busy catching his breath. Zuko winced as he remembered the words he had thrown at Iroh when he had expressed his doubts about Azula’s intentions: he had called him a mistrustful, bitter, sad old man. And yet here Iroh still was, standing by him. Granted, the Fire Nation was now hunting both of them, but Zuko knew that wasn’t why Iroh was still here. It didn’t explain why Iroh had volunteered to accompany Zuko when he had been banished. It didn’t explain why Iroh had chosen to stay with him for five long years. His name hadn’t been disgraced, he hadn’t been banished, and he hadn’t been ordered to man Zuko’s ship. Iroh was with Zuko because he cared. And he was the only one who did. The only one who had since his mother…</p>
<p>Zuko wished he could feel more grateful for his uncle, but all he could feel was disappointment crumbling into that ever familiar abyss of despair that gaped and drew Zuko in as it was wont to do. It hadn’t happened for a while. For the last couple of years, it had only really happened on the anniversary. Spotting the Avatar had raised Zuko up higher than he had been since he was a child. He had pursued his purpose with renewed vigour, ignoring all setbacks. He had had only one goal in mind – get the Avatar and get home. And now, with one fell swoop, Azula had smote both. Now, there was nothing. No point chasing the Avatar, as he couldn’t go home anyway. If he did, he may not be killed but both he and Iroh would be imprisoned. Not even necessarily at the Palace, he realised. Azula had said their father wanted Zuko home so he could lock him away where he wouldn’t be an embarrassment anymore. Did that merit the Boiling Rock? Zuko shuddered at the thought. They all knew the rumours of what happened at the Boiling Rock, but he had never seen it for himself, nor did he wish to. Certainly not as an inmate. They would love him there – the disgraced former Crown Prince – guards and prisoners alike. Even if Zuko somehow survived, it wouldn’t be unscathed. They would almost certainly separate him from Iroh, so he wouldn’t even have that small tendril of comfort.</p>
<p>His father must really hate him. After five years, he still hated him.</p>
<p>His father thought he was worthless, an embarrassment, a stain on the Royal bloodline. Maybe it was time to accept that he was.</p>
<p>He pulled out the knife his uncle had gifted him. In a rare moment of utter calm and stillness, Zuko saw what he needed to do. He was no longer Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. He was no longer even the banished prince. Now, he was just…a lost and useless young man who couldn’t even survive without his uncle. That young man didn’t belong to the Fire Nation, didn’t deserve the glory that came with being the heir to the throne of such a great land. He loved the Fire Nation with all his heart…but it didn’t love him back. It didn’t even want him back.</p>
<p>In one quick move, he grabbed the base of the phoenix tail that hung down the back of his head, and sliced through it with the knife. As he held the last remnants of his Fire Nation identity in his hands, his uncle took hold of the knife and did the same to his own topknot. They looked at each other, and in an unspoken agreement, they unceremoniously tossed the locks of hair into the river. Zuko felt a sharp pang in his chest as the current carried them downstream. This was really it. It was over.</p>
<p>He was never going home. He didn’t even have a home to go to. He still had his uncle, as he was reminded when the older man placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“I guess that’s it,” Zuko muttered. Iroh only nodded solemnly in agreement. When they were both ready, they began walking again, into their uncertain future.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>The next thing Katara remembered was blinking away the all too bright sun as General Fong pulled her to the surface. She had no idea what had happened during her time underground, but it seemed as though General Fong’s goading had done the trick. Aang’s tattoos and eyes were dimming when she spotted him. Katara was quivering with excitement, but Aang predictably mistook it for fear once more. He ran to her and pulled her into his arms. Katara was riding such a high, she didn’t even object and returned his embrace. She was full of so much nervous energy, she had to let it out somewhere.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, Katara,” Aang whispered. “You’ll never have to see me like that again.”</p>
<p>Before Katara could reply, General Fong cut in. “That was almost perfect!” he beamed. Aang pulled away from Katara in shock. “Now, we just have to find a way to control you while you’re in that state, and then-” He never got to finish the sentence. Sokka came up behind him, still mounted atop the ostrich-horse, and delivered a clear thud to the back of the general’s head with his boomerang. The man crumpled to the floor, unconscious.</p>
<p>“Anybody have a problem with that?” Sokka addressed the stunned soldiers. They all shook their heads.</p>
<p>“Do you…still want an escort to Omashu?” one of them offered the group tentatively.</p>
<p>“I think we’re good,” Sokka told him. Katara couldn’t help but agree.</p>
<p>There was absolutely no chance the earthbenders would attack them again, which all in all would make for an extremely boring journey. And Katara didn’t want that. Now she had experienced something other than extreme boredom, she wanted more. And she wanted desperately to find out if this was a one-off…or if it was something that would be triggered each time <em>she </em>was in danger. And a group of three was far more likely to be ambushed than an entire patrol. That was the entire reason they had suggested the escort, after all.</p>
<p>As Sokka and Aang ran back to their rooms to gather their belongings, Katara remained in the courtyard on the pretence of looking out for Appa. As soon as her companions disappeared from view, she turned to the still unconscious general. She crouched down beside him, and regarded him. The man was a complete waste of space. He had had one good idea, but managed to completely mess it up. She had been right about him. And yet…</p>
<p>“General Fong,” she told him quietly. “You’ve done so much more for me than you’ll ever know. Stay useless for me, okay? That way, you might actually survive this war.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As I am sure you've gathered, this chapter basically followed the plot of the S2E1 'The Avatar State'. This will be the last time for a long time that a chapter follows an episode so closely - sorry if it was a bit boring to read because of that. The major canon divergence begins in the next chapter, and after that most of what is contained in this story will be my own content.</p>
<p>I have to say though, writing Katara the way she is at the moment has been tremendous fun, and I had a great time exploring what little differences might occur in that episode given her new attitude towards everything. It was the main reason I wanted this chapter to mirror the episode so closely, but I would love to hear your thoughts about her.</p>
<p>As for Zuko, well we already know he needs a hug! I mentioned that I've aged the characters up given certain themes of this story, and to my mind that doesn't mean Zuko was older when he got his scar, it means he's been at sea for longer (hence the discrepancy in the timeline). I can't say much more about him without giving too much away, so I hope you enjoyed reading. Next chapter will be up next week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Breaking Point</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara reflects on the last couple of weeks, and learns more about her condition; Sokka tries to plan their next steps but the conversation takes an unexpected turn and throws the group into disarray.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I know I said next week. But as it turns out, I have very little self-control and I really like this one. I've had such a positive response to this story that I just couldn't help myself. So here, have a bonus chapter! All 18 pages of it...I didn't realise that until just now.</p><p>Thanks to everyone who commented - your amazing words are genuinely what made me want to post this now instead of sticking to my schedule.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been a gruelling couple of weeks since Aang, Katara and Sokka had left General Fong’s fortress. For Katara, the most trying part of the ordeal was the sheer boredom she endured. Flying on Appa seemed to take much longer than it had ever used to, even with the number of waterbending scrolls she had been meticulously studying. When they had spare time, she reluctantly kept up her obligation to teach Aang waterbending, which was itself a frustrating endeavour. His desperation to please meant that once again he was incapable of focusing on the task at hand, and Katara frequently lost patience with him, walking away and leaving him to it. It was invariably Sokka who calmed her down and compelled her to resume the lessons.</p><p>There had been a couple of interesting moments, however, so the time hadn’t been a total loss. There had been the time they had been trapped in the so-called ‘Cave of Two Lovers’ with a floaty, not-at-all-there group of singing nomads. Katara had got separated from the rest of the group during a cave-in, which had suited her perfectly. She had heard her brother and Aang calling for her on the other side of the wall that had been formed when the roof collapsed.</p><p>“I’m fine, Sokka,” she’d called. “I’ll find my own way out.” And she had. Quite quickly, as it happened. Without any distractions, without any chatter, without an over-eager, entitled child scampering around her braying for attention. Of course, Katara hadn’t <em>deliberately</em> and <em>strategically</em> placed herself where she had calculated the tunnels would be split by the cave-in. That had just been a blessing from the spirits, so she told Sokka...or perhaps even Oma and Shu themselves. Katara learned their story in the tomb nestled in the heart of the mountain. The legend went that only those who believed in the power of love would be able to safely find their way through the cave. That hadn’t helped Katara in the slightest, though she couldn’t honestly say she didn’t believe in the power of love, given her current predicament. Love was what had landed her there, after all. Perhaps Oma and Shu understood that.</p><p>‘Love burns brightest in the dark’, however, had been useful. Katara promptly doused the flame on her torch, and lo and behold, the cave was aglow with crystals illuminating the way out. Katara couldn’t help but snicker. The Fire Nation had unwittingly done them a great service by blocking them in – or they would have if she and her companions had just give their eyes a chance to adjust to the blackness before lighting the torches. It could have saved them all a lot of grief. But Katara hadn’t been complaining. Because it had happened again, when the earth began to rumble. For just a moment, just a flash, she had felt that…sensation again. It had only got stronger when she’d walked away to forge her own path out of the cave. It wasn’t fear, not quite – it was more an echo of fear. Not enough to overcome her in any sense, nor even make her tremble, but it was enough to excite her.</p><p>And then there had been Omashu itself, which had undergone some dramatic changes in their absence. It seemed that the North Pole wasn’t the only strategic hold-out that the Fire Nation had sought to invade and secure over the last winter. Except in Omashu, their efforts had succeeded, as given away instantly by the red and black banners that waved in the wind, visible even from the high foothills that towered over the city. Everyone’s heart had sunk at the sight. Aang, afraid for Bumi; Sokka, afraid of what was going to happen next; and Katara, realising that this meant the Avatar had lost his earthbending teacher. Which meant they were even further off-track than the delay General Fong had caused them. Which meant the Avatar was going to lose even more focus, because of course he just <em>had </em>to go and investigate and make sure Bumi was okay, or at least alive. Katara could remember the old, eccentric king quite vividly – and if there was one thing the old man was clearly not, it was helpless. She highly doubted he needed a child to swoop in to his rescue, especially one as undisciplined and recklessly impulsive as the Avatar.</p><p>But she had gone along and joined them in breaking into the city. For Sokka’s sake.</p><p>And as it turned out, venturing into Omashu had inadvertently been the Avatar’s best idea yet, and Katara was big enough not to begrudge him for it. Katara’s instincts had been correct and King Bumi most certainly did not require their help. He was waiting and listening, he had told them, to make his move. Katara could see the value in that. More than any of them, including Katara herself, could have realised at the time.</p><p>The most memorable moment, however, had been encountering the three female Fire Nation warriors. Their allegiance was glaringly obvious in the disdain the Fire Nation overall held for their opponents – not as fighters, but simply for their status as ‘Water Tribe peasants’. It didn’t rankle Katara what those bitches thought, but it did seem to wound Sokka’s pride some, which his sister couldn’t understand. Doubtless, however, Sokka would have been equally confused by Katara’s <em>lack </em>of offence taken. But they didn’t talk about it. They rarely did. Unless Katara upset Aang, then suddenly Sokka was all about Katara’s feelings and why they were important, but so were the Avatar’s and did she need to talk? Katara always declined. She couldn’t even fully explain herself why she felt so hostile towards him. But then, she didn’t really care either. All that mattered to her was that Aang was a source of irritation, and her cold indifference tempered by the occasional vicious outburst seemed to be the only way to ward him off. He never stopped trying altogether, though, and Katara couldn’t help but think that if he put half the effort into mastering the elements as he did trying to nurse his pathetic crush, then General Fong’s plan to use Aang as a secret weapon may just have seen fruition.</p><p>But then again, perhaps not. Katara had thought she knew how Fire Nation soldiers attacked and moved. But these warriors were of a different class altogether. Two of them were non-benders, the two she had fought, but they were just as if not more formidable than any firebender Katara had faced. One of them was dressed in a long red robe with raven black hair, and she seemed to have a penchant for speaking in a monotone and throwing knives. Her counterpart was an impossibly perky acrobat, dressed all in pink with a long braid swinging down her back from the top of her head. At first Katara had paid no attention to her, her eyes fixed on the knife-thrower, who was giving Katara a very satisfying and thrilling battle. She began to wonder if the Fire Nation bred and trained all their citizens like this, bender and non-bender alike. Given their ability to wage a futile war for over a century, it didn’t seem at all unlikely that any and all of their countrymen and women were raised under the same oppressive, militaristic tyranny that they sought to impose on the rest of the world.</p><p>But after the battle was over, and they were once again on the move having liberated the trapped Earth Kingdom citizens of Omashu from the Fire Nation’s clutches, the Pink Perky Acrobat was all Katara could think about. Or more specifically, the Pink Perky Acrobat’s technique… Katara had no idea what she had done. She had punched and jabbed Katara with expert precision, and then – for the second time since leaving the North Pole – Katara had found herself in a position of utter powerlessness. Except this time, it had been literal. Whatever Pink Perky Acrobat had done had taken Katara’s waterbending abilities away and left her considerably weakened and barely able to stand. Katara knew she should have been terrified. She should have been quaking, and she did – but not with fear.</p><p>Sokka had made quick work of fending Katara’s would-be attackers off with his boomerang, for which she reluctantly felt grateful. The way the knife-thrower had advanced, and Katara being unable to properly move, she knew she wouldn’t have stood much of a chance had he not been there. Now <em>that </em>had rankled…</p><p>…but hadn’t that also just made it all the more thrilling…</p><p>Katara supposed she should have wondered what on earth was wrong with her, that those moments of danger and peril were the moments she craved the most. She clung to them like the moon clung to the sky. When all was still and calm, and she was alone and undisturbed, she desperately tried to recreate that sensation, that <em>feeling</em>, as if she were a starving beggar clinging to the thought of their last meal. But she never came close. Her frustration was often evident, but even if she had been in the mood to talk about it, she also knew for certain that neither of her companions would understand. It didn’t matter to her in the slightest if the Avatar was horrified, but she didn’t want to do that to Sokka. She had realised quite early on that despite everything that was happening to her, she was still able to muster up some care for her brother. Or at least, she still acknowledged that he was important, and she would prefer if nothing happened to him.</p><p>Finally, there had been the Foggy Swamp, the mystical heart of the Earth Kingdom, and the home of the Great Banyan Tree with roots that circled the entire world. She remembered the visions that Sokka and Aang had described, fear and curiosity heavy in their voices. Aang had seen a girl around his age, running barefoot through the swamp accompanied by a flying boar; Sokka had seen an apparition of his lost love, berating him for failing in his duty to protect her at the North Pole. Katara told them she had seen her mother, fighting hard to gather the requisite emotion in her voice as she spoke. It hadn't been too difficult, all she'd had to do was mimic Sokka's confused and hurt tone. Aang and especially Sokka flooded her with sympathy and understanding at her revelation.</p><p>Katara was strangely relieved that they had believed her lie. But the experience only left her with more questions about was going on within her. Her chance to find some answers came up sooner than she expected.</p><p>The hitherto forgotten and hidden swampbenders invited them to spend the night, and that evening they gathered around the fire with the rest of their tribe. She and her companions had been forced by the oppressive heat and humidity to strip off their layers of clothes. As they all sat wearing nothing but their respective bindings, Katara remarked that they didn’t really look out of place, and there were no shocked gasps at their attire. If anything, it made them fit in all the more with the loin cloths, grass skirts and chest wrappings that adorned the locals.</p><p>One of the tribesmen, Huu, began to weave a tale of the swamp’s origins, and the significance of the Banyan Tree. It was said, he told them, that the tree’s roots did much more than simply cover the world. The Tree was what connected them all, made them all one. And if you pressed your palms to an exposed root, and listened hard enough, you could hear what was happening on the other side of the world. Katara was sceptical as to the truth of his tale, and suspected that he was embellishing things for the ignorant newcomers, but Aang nodded eagerly, having experienced it himself earlier.</p><p>“Does it really work across the world?” Aang asked in wonderment. Huu only nodded sagely.</p><p>“The Tree is capable of a great many things,” he explained. “I ain’t never been able to reach outside the swamp myself though. My own powers are limited, as I’m sure you understand. But y’all ain’t the first Avatar our tribe has seen…maybe you should test it out for yourself?” Aang nodded again, the excitement evident in his manner. He turned to Katara and beamed at her, but she ignored him. Aang instead turned to Sokka, who himself was sceptical but managed to whip up an impressed and thoughtful smile for the sake of his younger friend.</p><p>“We should go back there tomorrow,” Aang whispered to him. “I have to try it out.”</p><p>“Sure,” Sokka agreed. “Hey maybe you can figure out what the Fire Lord is doing.”</p><p>“Oh yeah and tell all his secrets to the Earth King,” Aang laughed. “Great plan, Sokka! We should just stay here until I get the information we need. Who needs the elements?!” Sokka laughed with him and patted him on the back. Since Katara had decided she suddenly couldn’t stand Aang, Sokka had taken over some of her old duties, which largely included smothering him with constant reassurance, she observed. The Avatar seemed to be in particularly desperate need for that at the moment.</p><p>“Better hope the Fire Lord doesn’t say anything too mean,” she muttered to Sokka. Her brother looked up at her in confusion, then winced as he remembered the conversation they had had two weeks ago at the fortress. She looked at him pointedly. “That was a joke.” Sokka started and forced out a weak laugh. Katara sighed and turned her attention back to Huu. ‘So much for that,’ she thought, shrugging internally.</p><p>Aang didn’t seem to hear her, or if he did, he didn’t take any notice. Which made a decent change. Sokka had tried and tried to talk to Katara about what was going on with her, to get her to open up about what was really bothering her. He knew it couldn’t be just Aang. He accepted that being constantly surrounded by the little bundle of energy that was the Avatar <em>could </em>sometimes be a bit grating and he understood if she needed a break every so often. But Aang was also so lovable it was impossible to stay annoyed for long. At least, it was impossible for Sokka to do that. But there had to be more to it. Aang hadn’t changed. He was still exactly the same person as he was when they had travelled to the North Pole, and at the time Katara seemed to find him endearing, delightful even.</p><p>No, <em>Katara </em>was the one who had changed. And though Sokka tried hard to keep putting on a brave face, for Aang’s sake as much as his own, it was breaking his heart to see her like this. All of her warmth, her compassion, her love…it was as if someone had come in and just swept that all away and left her for the emotionless, mean and sometimes heartless person that she had become. It truly shocked Sokka to witness the way she interacted with Aang, compared to before. Aang himself was trying to be stoic about Katara’s transformation, but Sokka could see it. It was breaking his little heart too. But the problem was, Sokka didn’t know what he could do. He felt helpless. If Katara would just tell him what was wrong, he may not be able to do anything about it, but damnit he could <em>try</em>. He was the ideas guy of their group. He knew he would be able to dream up a solution to Katara’s predicament, but he couldn’t if he didn’t know exactly what that was.</p><p>He missed his sister. Physically she was right there next to him, sandwiched as he was between Aang and Katara, but that cold, moody young woman was not his sister. ‘Well, perhaps not the moody part,’ he thought with an internal grin. He half expected Katara to punch him on the arm lightly in retribution before he realised he hadn’t said it out loud. It was probably just as well. Somehow he suspected that if he tried to make that joke now, any punch Katara gave him wouldn’t be light.</p><p>‘Please come back to us, Katara,’ he prayed silently for what had to be the twentieth time as he watched her. ‘Please. I miss you. More than you know.’</p><p>****</p><p>“Excuse me. Huu? Do you have a moment?” Huu looked up and smiled warmly at Katara. He had been in the middle of a conversation with Tho, but a quick look at Katara told him that whatever she wanted to talk about, she expected privacy. At an unseen signal, the other swampbender quickly stood up and walked away, back towards the main fire where an informal dance party had broken out. Aang had quickly claimed the centre of attention by whizzing around on an air scooter, to many cheers and applause from the tribe. It had been the perfect opportunity for Katara to slip away unnoticed.</p><p>“How can I help you, Miss Katara?” Huu asked her pleasantly. Katara sat down opposite him.</p><p>“I wanted to ask you about the visions,” she said, getting straight to the point. “I’d like to learn more about how they work.”</p><p>“Well of course. Happy to share any knowledge I have with a fellow bender,” Huu replied eagerly. “Was there anything in partic’lar you wanted to know?”</p><p>“How do they work?” Katara asked simply. “You said the swamp shows us what we need to see, but that doesn’t make a lot of sense. How does the swamp know?”</p><p>“That’s a very complicated one,” Huu admitted. “Truthfully, it’s not that the swamp knows what to show you. A lot of it is to do with you who’s having the visions. Sometimes it shows y'all what y'all <em>need</em> to see, yeah, but a lot of times it’s not like that. A lot of the time, what you see is driven by your emotions.” Katara nodded thoughtfully. So far, Huu wasn’t telling her anything she hadn’t already suspected.</p><p>“What about guilt?” Katara asked, thinking of Sokka’s vision of Yue. Huu nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, that’s another common one,” he agreed.</p><p>“So the swamp taps into your emotions,” Katara summarised. “Whatever you’re feeling most strongly, you’ll see something to do with that?”</p><p>“Yes, that’s exactly it! Couldn’t have put it better myself,” Huu nodded in approval. “Course, that ain’t to say we all in the tribe always see things. It works a little different for us.”</p><p>“How?”</p><p>“Well, us here in the tribe, we been here long enough that we got a certain…uh…” he struggled to think of the word.</p><p>“Resistance?” Katara offered.</p><p>“Yeah…yeah, that’ll do it. Our ancestors came here long ago, and I guess over time we learned not to be as affected by it. Can’t explain how, mind. But newcomers – y’all’ll almost always see something.”</p><p>“And what about when they don’t?”</p><p>Huu frowned in confusion. “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I understand?”</p><p>“What if a newcomer doesn’t have any visions? What does it mean if they don’t see anything?” Katara asked. Despite herself, this was something that had been gnawing at her. It might go some way to explaining what was going on with her, if the swamp was as alive and mystical as everyone except her and Sokka claimed. Sokka was just a sceptic, so that made sense, but deep within her, Katara knew something was off about what she had experienced. For all of his cynicism, even Sokka had had a vision after all. But not Katara.</p><p>“Well,” Huu drawled thoughtfully, stroking his chin. “It’s unusual but not unheard of. It could mean one of two things…” Katara waited for him to continue, but he looked at her as if he was seeing her in a new light, and fell silent. Katara didn’t care for what he thought he was figuring out, she just wanted answers.</p><p>“Yes?” she pressed.</p><p>“Someone who had reached true enlightenment wouldn’t have a vision,” Huu explained. “Because they’d already be so at peace with it all, y’see, there’s nothing more the swamp could teach ‘em. But, and I hope you won’t take offence at this, miss, but y’all don’t seem like you’re at peace with it all.”</p><p>“Trust me, I have definitely not reached enlightenment,” Katara assured him, a note of bitterness to her voice. Huu watched her curiously. “Or if I have,” she continued. “It’s really not all it’s cracked up to be. So what’s the other reason?”</p><p>“It really doesn’t happen very often,” Huu iterated quickly. Katara nodded to show she understood, but was anxious for him to get to the point. Huu clearly thought he was onto something, if he felt the need to try and comfort her. Perhaps he was. If he would just come out and say it, Katara could find out. “But, it’ll most likely be to do with sickness of the mind.” Katara felt a shudder crawl up her spine at his words.</p><p>‘That’s new,’ she thought with detached interest. She met Huu’s gaze again. He was still searching her, trying to work it out.</p><p>“What kind of sickness?” Katara urged.</p><p>“I’m not sure what y’all’d call it. Out here, we just call it dry fever.”</p><p>“Dry fever?” Katara repeated, confusion settling on her face. “What is that? What does that mean?”</p><p>“It’s just a name,” Huu continued. “It…can mean a lot of things, but most of the time it just means that y’all don’t really feel much. Like joy or sadness. Or guilt, as you brought up earlier. They don’t all got no problems with anger, though,” he chuckled lightly. “We get some cases in the tribe from time to time. Folks who see nothin’ in their whole lives. There’s no real reason for it, not so as we’ve found anyhow. But it’s like their mind is broken – naw, not broken, that’s a bad word. It’s like they can’t hear what the swamp is trying to tell ‘em, good or bad, cos the well of their feelins’ is…well, dry.” Based on Huu’s explanation, the name was a stretch, Katara thought, but she accepted it. He knew his own culture.</p><p>But she couldn’t help but wonder if perhaps all Water Tribesmen and women were resistant. They had to have shared an ancient history at the very least, for them to all be waterbenders. Perhaps it was just a feature unique to their shared people. She relayed this to Huu, but he didn’t look convinced. “I s’pose it’s possible,” he conceded. “We ain’t had another Water Tribe visit in living memory. But stories get passed down, and s’far as I know, it don’t make a difference if you is Water Tribe or Fire Nation. If y’all ain’t been born here, you gon’ see something. ‘Cept those with dry fever, of course.”</p><p>Katara sharply let out the breath she didn’t realise she had been holding. ‘So…my mind <em>is</em> broken then,’ she thought. She had suspected as much. Back in the North Pole, she had stolen away back to the healing huts a few times, ostensibly to get some more practice in before they left, but her real aim was research. She had known the instant she had changed. She could pinpoint it exactly. But she hadn’t understood the “what” of it all. She was hoping the huts would hold some information about such afflictions. There were a few tired, battered scrolls containing musings from long-dead healers about illnesses of the mind, the symptoms of one of which were the only ones that came close to what was happening within Katara. They had called it ‘psychopathy’, a name that meant nothing to Katara. But there hadn’t been enough to draw anything conclusive from them, only conjecture. That was all that was within the scrolls in any event. There was no mention of what caused it, or what remedies – if any – might be available. In fact, the most she could glean from the scrolls was that some of their authors seemed to be suffering from that same sickness themselves. Perhaps they, like Katara, hadn’t wished to publicise it. Because, like Katara, they knew their true selves wouldn’t be easily accepted. And in the North Pole, not being accepted by the tribe meant certain death. One scroll had even made mention that the only ‘remedy’ the Norther Water Tribe had offered on confirmed cases was exile, if not outright execution by a family member or even a healer under the guise of a mercy killing. At least an execution was quick and could be done painlessly.</p><p>“Why do you ask, miss?” Huu asked, snapping her from her thoughts.</p><p>“What happens to your tribesmen who have dry fever?” Katara countered. She had no intention of answering his question. If he pressed, she would just lie, she decided. But Huu didn’t press.</p><p>“Well, nothing, so long as they ain’t dangerous,” Huu replied, looking surprised. “They’s still just as much our tribe. I know that ain’t always the case outside the swamp...”</p><p>“What do they do outside the swamp?”</p><p>“I only know from what I’ve heard,” Huu told her. “But from my understanding, it ain’t good.” He told her about some other travellers they had received over the years, including scholars, one of whom had a keen interest in sicknesses of the mind, such as dry fever, and how it affected sufferers in different environments. He had been riveted by the fact that dry fever sufferers were still very much part of the tribe, that it was considered a quirk more than anything else. Judging by some of the things that scholar had told him, those same people outside of the swamp could expect prejudice and fear at best, and imprisonment or death at worst, regardless of whether they had actually done anything to deserve it. “But that’s not how we do,” Huu explained. “We know there’s nothing we can do for ‘em as have dry fever, but so long as they do their part and don’t go round hurtin’ others, we let ‘em be. Why, some of ‘em probably just keep themselves hidden. Tho could have dry fever, for all I know!” He chuckled at that. Katara only nodded thoughtfully. Well, she had absolutely no intention of staying in the swamp, she would be bored out of her mind, but she found herself strangely affected to know there was somewhere she could still fit in. Somewhere she wouldn’t just be cast aside, like they did in the North Pole.</p><p>And possibly the South, she thought. Though, perhaps not now. The population had already been decimated to dangerous levels. The Southern Water Tribe needed all the members they could keep. The North had no such qualms, having stayed behind their ice wall for the last century. She couldn’t blame them. They had done what they needed to survive. If her tribe had had that prudence, they probably wouldn’t be in the sorry state they were in. The Fire Nation were to blame, of course, but she couldn’t help but feel some resentment at her tribe’s complete lack of foresight. It wasn’t as if the Fire Nation had swept through and committed their atrocities in one single raid. They had been suffering raids since virtually the first year of the war. They had had a <em>century </em>to pull themselves together and protect their own and they just…hadn’t, choosing instead to flounder and rely on the tyrant’s mercy not to come too often and actually succeed in wiping them out.</p><p>Huu raised a good point though. Nothing happened to those with dry fever in the swamp unless they were dangerous. But that begged a further question, one Huu wouldn’t be able to answer, and one Katara certainly wasn’t going to ask him. Was <em>she</em> dangerous?</p><p>She looked back at the crowd dancing around the fire, and her eyes picked out Sokka by his distinctive ponytail. Was he in danger because she was like this?</p><p>She imagined walking up to him and slitting his throat without warning. She imagined him crumpling to the ground as she stood and watched the light fade from his eyes as he bled to death. She expected her gut to twist wrenchingly. She expected to feel outrage and terror that she was even <em>thinking </em>about it. But there was nothing of the sort. Katara could quite calmly fantasise about murdering her brother in cold blood and there was…nothing. Intellectually, she knew that this was troubling. But she herself just couldn’t feel troubled by it.</p><p>It wasn’t as if she was going to do it, or had any kindling of desire to. She didn’t <em>want</em> to kill her brother, and she didn’t <em>want</em> him to die. But it was telling that the thought of his death at her hands evoked absolutely no emotional response in her whatsoever. She also felt no emotions at the thought of killing the Avatar in his sleep, but she noted with interest that there was no excitement at that thought either. So he irritated her, but she had no particular desire to kill him. That was useful information, she supposed. It was also interesting to realise that she <em>expected</em> to have a reaction to the thought of Sokka’s death. She didn’t know if it qualified as caring but it was better than nothing. And it had to count that she didn’t want him to die. If it came to a choice between saving her brother and the Avatar, for example, she knew she would save her brother. That meant something.</p><p>Either way, she had learned a little bit more about her condition and so for her, the conversation was over.</p><p>“Thank you for your time,” she muttered politely, and walked away before the concerned swampbender could reply. He watched her, deep in thought. Miss Katara wasn’t the first person who had shown an interest in dry fever, as he had told her. The swampbenders didn’t receive a lot of visitors – they were usually lost travellers who, like Aang, had been called to the swamp. Occasionally they would also be visited by scholars fascinated by their, what they called, ‘primitive’ lifestyle. The tribe didn’t particularly care for that moniker, and such scholars were quickly sent on their way. But others embraced their livelihood and were eager to learn everything. The concept of dry fever wasn’t a strange one to them, but they had a much fancier name for it. One scholar had noted with fascination that dry fever seemed to be more prevalent amongst their tribe than in the Earth Kingdom population as a whole. Huu somehow doubted that was true. What was more likely was that those with dry fever outside of the swamp were simply better at hiding. For one, they weren’t surrounded by the spiritual energies of the swamp that helped give them away. There was also no fear of expulsion in the swamp unless a crime was committed, which seemed to be unique to the swampbenders.</p><p>But the young waterbender hadn’t just come down with a case of idle curiosity, and she didn’t seem to be a scholar. At least, she wasn’t like any of the other scholars who had passed through. As Huu had been speaking to her, he saw the change in her demeanour. The slight stiffening of her body, the sharp exhale of breath, the quick escape once she had the information she needed. This was a personal concern for her. She hadn’t quite admitted that she hadn’t experienced any visions, but Huu had an inkling. She didn’t have the same haunted look in her eyes that befell most of their visitors. Her companions included.</p><p>The swamp didn’t lie – people did.</p><p>****</p><p>The next day, Aang, Katara and Sokka left the swamp behind, after making a quick stop at the Banyan Tree for Aang to test Huu’s claim, which turned out to be fruitless. Katara immediately buried herself in the last few scrolls she hadn’t had a chance to peruse yet, whilst Aang steered and Sokka idly watched the landscape go by. They didn’t really know where they were heading next. Losing King Bumi as Aang’s earthbending teacher had been a real blow to their mission. They were all vaguely aware that they needed to find Aang a new teacher, but no-one had any suggestions as to where, or even the best way to go about it. Since leaving Omashu, they had been flying mostly aimlessly, stopping at towns to stock up and ask around about earthbenders. Unfortunately, this far southwest, the Fire Nation had made deep treads into the Earth Kingdom, which meant that most earthbenders had suffered the same fate as Haru’s village. The rig that Katara had been taken to had only been one of several, and village after village could only fearfully tell them that earthbending was illegal and not to ask questions like that around here.</p><p>So they kept flying. They were currently pressing east, as the Fire Nation had a smaller presence the further from the coast they travelled, but the landscape around the swamp was sparse and desolate.  After a time, Sokka got bored of just watching the landscape since there wasn’t anything of interest to see anyway, and dug out the map of the Earth Kingdom to go back to planning their route. He had quickly got over his consternation that Katara had stolen it. It was then he realised just how far south they had come since landing in the Earth Kingdom two weeks ago.</p><p>“Hey, Aang?” Sokka called.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>“Which way are we heading?”</p><p>“East, Sokka,” Katara replied, not bothering to look up from her scroll. “The sun’s behind us.”</p><p>“I know that!” Sokka said indignantly. “I meant, well, where are we going?”</p><p>“I guess we just keep flying until we find a town,” Aang called from where he was perched on Appa’s neck. “Have you found anywhere on the map that’s close by?”</p><p>“A couple of places, but I’m not sure how promising they are,” Sokka replied. “They all look kinda…small. I’m not sure how much luck we’ll have.”</p><p>“Well…that’s okay!” Aang said hopefully. “We only need one earthbender, not a whole town of them.” Sokka nodded thoughtfully. Aang was right, of course, they did only need one. But aiming for somewhere larger gave them a much higher chance of finding that one. On the map, he could see what looked to be a city by the name of Gaoling to the southeast of where he believed they currently were. Now <em>that </em>one did look promising, he thought excitedly. The only issue was it would take them a full day to fly there at least, and the sun was already setting.</p><p>“I think I might have somewhere!” he called out. This time, Katara did look up.</p><p>“Where?” she asked. Sokka shuffled over to her and spread the map out between them. He pointed to Gaoling on the map.</p><p>“It looks like this is a lot bigger than anywhere else we’ve been,” he explained. “So that should give us a much better chance of finding an earthbending teacher.”</p><p>Katara nodded in agreement. “It’s also further inland,” she pointed out. “So the Fire Nation might not have made it there yet.”</p><p>“Which means earthbending won’t be outlawed,” Sokka added.</p><p>Katara nodded. “No way to know for sure, though.”</p><p>“Sure, but it has to be worth at least doing a flyover,” Sokka insisted. “Even if it went the same way as Omashu, we have to try.”</p><p>“Agreed. What we’re doing now is a big waste of time,” Katara concluded coolly.</p><p>“Y-yeah,” Sokka agreed uncertainly. It wasn’t the words she had said, not this time. She was right, flying around each and every town was proving futile, and there was a time-pressure, even if Aang didn’t like to acknowledge it. But her tone…it just wasn’t her. “Hey, Aang, I think we should make camp for the night. It’ll take all day to get to Gaoling from here.” Aang nodded, and Appa began descending. They had been flying over a vast plain, the monotony only broken up by the occasional homestead and the river that snaked the length of the continent, but had reached the tip of the mountain range in which Gaoling was nestled. They could camp pretty much anywhere with ease. They made a habit of staying off the roads for security reasons, but from this high up, it didn’t look as though there were any near them.</p><p>As they landed and began setting up camp, Aang asked to see the map. He and Sokka gathered together, leaving Katara to do the bulk of the chores, including getting their dinner started. Momo sniffed at her curiously as she bent some water from the nearby stream into their cooking pot. She glanced down at him, and he gave her that wide-eyed stare that meant he was expecting food. She shook her head at him, smiling slightly.</p><p>“You’ll have to go find some nuts if you’re hungry,” she told him. Momo only looked at her uncomprehendingly, and then leapt onto her arm, causing Katara to stagger. He swiftly climbed up onto her head and settled there, seemingly not concerned with losing his balance, as Katara prepared the meal. She made no attempt to remove him. Momo was a strange but endearing creature. Momo reminded her of both Sokka, with his penchant for always thinking about food, and the Avatar, with his energy. She briefly wondered why the Avatar managed to grate on her nerves sometimes just by saying the wrong thing, whereas Momo could climb all over her and she wouldn’t bat an eyelid. But she didn’t dwell on it for too long. It wasn’t that important.</p><p>Katara was often surprised to find she didn’t actually mind doing the lion’s share of the chores too much. It gave her something to focus on each evening, before she snuck away with Aang’s scrolls and some spare parchment. No longer satisfied with merely reading them, Katara had taken to making her own copies. They were crude, compared to the originals, but as a master Katara was more than capable of translating what was on the scrolls into practice no matter how rough her own illustrations were. She had spent the better part of the last two weeks working silently on this little project whilst Aang and Sokka told jokes around the campfire. Katara always told them she was going to practice waterbending, and as she usually came back in a calmer mood, neither of her companions were likely to complain. She didn’t want them to know the truth. It was her business and hers alone. It didn’t affect them, excepting that as Katara improved, so did Aang’s level of instruction.</p><p>“That’s a really interesting point, Aang,” she heard Sokka say. “And I’m not just talking about the one on the map!” Despite the fact it was an abysmal joke, Sokka and Aang both sniggered. Katara had just put the rice into the pot, and watched it start to simmer. She could do no more save stir it occasionally until it was cooked, and decided to satisfy her curiosity as to what Sokka and Aang were discussing.</p><p>“What’s a really interesting point?” she asked as she swept near-silently up to them. By now, Momo was clinging to her back. He jumped down and sniffed at Sokka as Katara reached them, but was disappointed to find that Sokka had no treats to spare either.</p><p>“Aang had a suggestion for somewhere else we could go,” Sokka explained, beckoning her to sit with them so he could show her. “So we’re here.” He pointed to a section of the map. “Gaoling is there, and-”</p><p>“That looks further than a day’s flight,” Katara remarked before Sokka could finish.</p><p>“Yeah, the more I look at it, I think you’re right,” Sokka agreed, unperturbed by her interruption. “But Aang had the idea to go <em>here </em>first.” He pointed to the southwestern-most point of the Earth Kingdom, where Katara could just make out a small village situated on a promontory, just across the water from Kyoshi Island. Katara raised her eyebrows in surprise. She hadn’t appreciated just how close to home they were, relatively speaking. But then she frowned in confusion.</p><p>“Why would we go there first? It’s nothing more than a village. I thought we decided Gaoling made the most sense because there will be more earthbenders,” she stated. Sokka nodded in response, seemingly in agreement, but then he threw a glance at Aang, and gestured with his eyes to Katara. Aang gazed anxiously at the waterbender, but was glad to see she was looking at him expectantly.</p><p>“Well…obviously, it’s really close to…uh…Kyoshi Island,” he began weakly. He took a deep breath. Why did he suddenly feel so nervous? He had had no trouble explaining it to Sokka just a paltry few minutes ago.</p><p>“What difference does that make?” Katara asked.</p><p>“The, uh, the Kyoshi Warriors. You see, uh…umm…” he faltered under her hard stare. She sighed and turned to her brother.</p><p>“Sokka, would you like to explain? Aang’s a little tongue-tied.” Aang felt almost relieved that the attention had been taken off him, but also embarrassed that he couldn’t put a sentence together around her at the moment. Given her recent behaviour, Katara had begun making Aang feel only anxious around her. She actually made him anxious…and he really wasn’t sure how to respond to that. How had this happened? Why had it happened? Before he could fall too deep into that particular pit, Aang forced himself to think back to the monk’s teachings. It was not for Aang to question why, he told himself, thinking fondly of Monk Gyatso, only to measure his response. As a boy of technically 14, he still had some way to go in that regard.</p><p>“Basically, Aang figured that because the village is so close to Kyoshi Island, they may have been sheltered from the Fire Nation, so there are probably earthbenders there,” Sokka clarified.</p><p>“So what? Gaoling will probably have them too,” Katara shrugged. “You think that’s worth the detour?” A look of hesitation crossed Sokka’s face. Katara smirked. “I’m sure this has nothing to do with a certain Warrior who kicked your ass last time we were on Kyoshi Island.”</p><p>“Uh, maybe a little?” Sokka replied, rubbing the back of his head with a coy but guilty grin on his face. Katara snorted. “Am I really that transparent?” he asked sheepishly.</p><p>“As glass,” Katara deadpanned. Sokka watched her cautiously, and when he saw the hint of another smirk forming on her lips, he laughed. Aang quickly joined in, not wanting to lose the jovial atmosphere they had suddenly recaptured. He fought not to stare at Katara for too long – she didn’t seem to like that. But it was the only way to gauge her mood…even then, it was a trying process.</p><p>“Flying there will take at least a week,” Katara sighed. “And if there isn’t anyone who can teach Aang, it will take us <em>another </em>week to fly to Gaoling. It’s a waste of time. I understand you want to see Suki, but-”</p><p>“You <em>would </em>think that,” Aang muttered under his breath sadly, before his face was overcome with a startled expression. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.</p><p>“I would,” Katara agreed coolly. “Because it’s true.”</p><p>“You don’t know that,” Aang insisted. “For all we know, the perfect earthbending teacher is just waiting for me in…” he looked at the map, “Chin Village!”</p><p>“Since when did they have to be perfect? You just need a teacher,” Katara replied with exasperation. “And we are much more likely to find one in Gaoling.”</p><p>“Maybe,” Aang conceded. “But there’s no harm in looking here first-”</p><p>Katara raised a hand to stop him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.</p><p>“Actually, there is,” she refuted calmly. “<em>When </em>it turns out there is no-one in Chin Village and we finally make it to Gaoling, we will have wasted another two weeks. You do understand that time doesn’t stop just because you haven’t learned the elements yet?”</p><p>“I know that,” Aang said quietly.</p><p>“Do you? Because you don't seem to.”</p><p>“Uh, Katara, I think the rice is boiling over,” Sokka added weakly in an attempt to distract them. He tried to ignore the gnawing, worried feeling deep in his gut. He couldn’t explain why, but he didn’t like where this conversation was going. His warrior’s instincts were kicking in, and those instincts told him that this conversation was in danger of boiling over to something much more drastic than charred rice.</p><p>“No it isn’t, Sokka,” Katara replied. She was a waterbender. She could tell. She turned back to Aang. “Look, Aang, Sozin’s Comet is coming at the end of the summer whether you’re ready or not. But it’s your choice whether you want to die or not, I guess.”</p><p>“Would you even care if I did?!” Aang suddenly snapped, causing Sokka to flinch. He rolled the map back up, as if that would solve the problem. “What is your <em>problem</em>, Katara?! You’re so negative all the time! And you’re mean! Like, really mean.”</p><p>“Aang…” Sokka pleaded, anxiously turning his head between his sister and his friend.</p><p>“You’re going to get a lot more than hurt feelings if you’re not ready before the Comet comes,” Katara retorted.</p><p>“I <em>know </em>all that, okay?!” Aang was nearly shouting now, and he stood up. He wrung his wrists agitatedly, fixing Katara with a hard stare of his own. He had had enough. He had just…had enough. No more tiptoeing on eggshells. This needed sorting. “You don’t have to keep reminding me!”</p><p>“Clearly I do because you’re not acting like it!” Katara snapped back.</p><p>“I’ll act how I want, okay? <em>I’m </em>the Avatar! It’s <em>my </em>job to restore balance to the world.”</p><p>“Oh good, I was worried you’d forgotten,” Katara muttered sarcastically. Sokka shot her a pleading look. “Maybe now you’ll listen to reason.”</p><p>“Oh of course, <em>reason</em>!” Aang replied, his own voice dripping with uncharacteristic sarcasm. The uneasy lump in Sokka’s stomach grew. “And reason is whatever you say, right?”</p><p>“Well…given that I’m being reasonable, yes.”</p><p>“<em>Are </em>you? Because I can’t remember the last time you were reasonable! I can’t remember the last time you didn’t look at me like I was dirt on your shoe-”</p><p>“Aang, come on,” Sokka protested, but Aang wasn’t finished.</p><p>“All you do is complain!”</p><p>“Oh, so the rice put itself on?” Katara smirked mirthlessly.</p><p>“Speaking of which, do you think it’s maybe time to check it?” Sokka suggested again hopefully. Pleadingly. When was that fucking rice going to boil?!</p><p>“If you’re that worried, Sokka, you go and check it,” Katara countered impatiently.</p><p>“This is exactly what I mean,” Aang sighed, now seeming calmer. “What happened to you? You’re not…you’re not Katara anymore. And I don’t know what to do.” Katara raised her eyebrows. “If you want to stop being my friend, fine. I give up. You win, okay?”</p><p>“I’m glad that’s settled,” Katara nodded, and made to move away. The rice was getting to the stage it would at least need another stir and as far as she was concerned, the conversation was over.</p><p>“That’s it?” Aang burst out, startled. “That’s all I get, after everything we’ve been through? What is <em>wrong </em>with you?!” Aang bit back, reaching his limit.</p><p>“Aang-”</p><p>“No, I’m sorry, Sokka, I have to say this,” Aang interrupted, not taking his eyes off Katara. “All you’re doing is making us miserable! You complain, you think everything I do is stupid, you…you’re just <em>impossible </em>to be around when you’re like this! I have done nothing but be a good friend to both of you. I’ve always looked out for you. I used to think we had something really special! You – <em>you </em>were the one who gave me hope that I could actually do it, but now all you do is make me believe I can’t! Do you have any idea what that’s like?!”</p><p>“Not really,” Katara shrugged. Aang blinked back a tear in shock. Was that…really all she had to say? He was bearing his heart to her, he was confiding how he felt, and all she did was shrug?</p><p>“No of course you don’t, because you’re not capable of thinking about anyone except yourself right now!” he retorted viciously. He regretted it instantly, and started when Sokka rounded on him.</p><p>“That’s enough, Aang!” Sokka snapped. “I know you’re upset, but don’t talk to my sister like that. You know that’s not true.” A look of contrition crossed Aang’s face, and he bowed his head, chastened.</p><p>“You’re right,” he admitted. “That was too far. I admit that. I’m sorry.” Katara merely folded her arms across her chest in response and continued to watch the Avatar struggle with himself. It would almost be amusing if this wasn’t the supposed saviour of the world. “But, look, Katara, we need to work this out, okay? I don’t understand why you’re being like this. I thought we were best friends…and…I can’t keep going on like this. It’s making me feel sick. You don’t even seem to want to teach me anymore. And honestly, I don’t like being taught by you.”</p><p>“I can stop if you like?” Katara offered. That suited her just fine. She didn’t care if Aang suddenly decided he didn’t need her to teach him waterbending anymore. That was his choice.</p><p>‘She really doesn’t care, does she?’ Aang realised with a painful flutter of his heart. He hadn’t wanted to admit it, but he’d noticed it ever since the North Pole. It wasn’t just that she was suddenly a lot meaner. She actually didn’t care…about any of it. How else could she so nonchalantly just offer to stop teaching him, when she <em>knew </em>his waterbending wasn’t at her level yet? And if she, his teacher, didn’t care, then…what was the point? What was the point to any of it? And before he could help himself, he became overwhelmed by the same emotion he never thought could possibly apply to Katara – anger. He saw her callousness, her heartlessness, her cruelty, and he had hit his breaking point.</p><p>“Maybe you should!” he yelled. He kicked his glider in frustration, and it landed dangerously close to the campfire, but none of them noticed. “All you’re doing is throwing <em>us </em>off-balance! If I don’t learn the elements, it won’t be because I went to Chin Village – it’ll be because <em>you </em>have thrown us so far off, I don’t even see how we can get back! Maybe…maybe there’s no point to you being here anymore!”</p><p>Despite herself, Katara flinched, thinking back to what Huu had told her in the swamp. About how those outside of the swampbending tribe tended to react to those with ‘dry fever’. She had pondered what it would feel like, to be rejected, to be cast out, to not belong…but she had also anticipated what her emotional response would be. To her surprise, she couldn’t deny that it actually hurt. She had flinched for a reason. But there hadn’t been the devastating pain she would have once expected to feel. She was also mildly surprised that the Avatar had found the strength and balls to finally stand up for himself. But the hurt was only fleeting and then once again, she felt nothing. But she did find herself oddly intrigued by the prospect of leaving him to his devices. And Sokka, if he chose to stay. She rationalised that maybe that was why the hurt had faded so quickly.</p><p>“All right, Aang, talk, <em>now</em>!” Sokka hissed, standing up and grabbing Aang by his elbow.</p><p>“It’s okay, Sokka,” Katara told him pleasantly, resolved. “For once, I actually agree with the Avatar. There <em>is </em>no point to me being here anymore.” And with that, she strode away from them without another word, making for Appa who was dozing a short distance away. Sokka watched her with a forlorn expression on his face, and he shot an angry glare at Aang. The feeling in his stomach that had been steadily taunting him since the argument began had become a ball of lead that was only expanding and growing angrier, until he felt so weighed down it was as if he was frozen to the spot. He fought to keep his breathing under control as he raced after his sister.</p><p>****</p><p>Katara was calmly gathering her possessions together as Sokka reached her. He crouched down beside her, his expression fearful. “Katara, what are you doing?”</p><p>“You heard the Avatar,” she replied simply.</p><p>“Come on, he didn’t mean that, he’s just upset.”</p><p>“It doesn’t matter,” Katara said honestly. “I actually think he’s right. There’s no place for me here anymore.”</p><p>“Katara, no! That’s crap!” Sokka protested desperately. He grabbed her arm. “Just…stop packing! Come on, we’ll have some dinner, we’ll talk, we’ll figure this all out. Please.” Katara sighed.</p><p>“Sokka…” she said gently. “It’s not that simple.”</p><p>“Of course it is!” he insisted. “You can’t leave! We need you!”</p><p>“Apparently you don’t,” she retorted. Sokka shook his head.</p><p>“<em>I </em>need you, Katara! You’re my sister.”</p><p>“You’re older than me, Sokka,” she pointed out.</p><p>“That has nothing to do with anything!” But Katara’s mind was made up.</p><p>If she was going to be brutally honest, she had considered doing this anyway. Leaving. She wasn’t enjoying her time with them anymore. She supposed she should feel obliged to stay for the good of the world if nothing else. But it was equally true that she didn’t really care about all that. She hadn’t since the North Pole. When this had all started. When Sokka had lay dying, and she had visited the Spirit Oasis… It had all been for Sokka. All of it. Her being like this. Her remaining with them as long as she had, honouring her commitment. If it had been up to her, she would have left long before they reached Omashu. She didn’t need them. She was a master waterbender. She could get by just fine on her own. She had almost been expecting this, ever since reading those scrolls in the North Pole. Just waiting to be rejected and possibly even killed, like Huu had warned, just for being who she was. Did it not count, everything she had done before? Clearly not, if the Avatar could so casually toss her aside. But that was fine with Katara. She truly did not care what he thought. It was a bit more difficult to contemplate leaving her brother behind, though. Perhaps he would come with her?</p><p>For the first time since he had reached her, she looked up at him. His eyes were wide with trepidation, his expression filled with pure sorrow. At least, that’s what she thought it was. It was almost the same expression he had worn when Princess Yue had died. At the time, she had <em>known </em>he was grieving. She had to assume that expression meant the same thing. Especially given the circumstances. If Katara was almost hesitating at the thought of leaving him behind, it was fair to deduce he felt the same about her going, only on a much grander scale.</p><p>With another sigh, she sealed up her pack and stood up to leave. Sokka darted in front of her, and gripped her arms fiercely.</p><p>“You’re not leaving,” he told her. “I’m not going to allow that. We can <em>talk </em>about this.”</p><p>“The Avatar and I have done our talking,” she stated matter-of-factly, but made no effort to free herself. She was curious as to what Sokka’s next argument was going to be.</p><p>“He’s a child! You said it yourself!” Sokka reminded her.</p><p>“Hey!” they both heard Aang shout from the campfire.</p><p>“Seriously, Aang?! I’m dealing with <em>your</em> mess right now!” Sokka yelled back, a hint of venom in his voice. Katara raised her eyebrows in surprise. Clearly, snapping at the Avatar was turning out to be a bit of a family trait. She smirked at the thought. “Katara, please, don’t take any notice of him.”</p><p>“I can’t lay all the blame at his feet,” Katara admitted. “I’ve noticed for a while that this just isn’t working anymore. Not for me. I don’t think it is for you either, but honestly I can’t be sure.” This time she did wrest herself free from his grip.</p><p>“Of <em>course </em>it’s working! We’re just…look we’re tired, we’re hungry, we’re lost…in a manner of speaking,” Sokka hastily corrected. “Just…come to dinner, please.” Katara considered the prospect for a minute. She would need food. She would need her strength for the uncertain journey that lay ahead… “Aang will apologise,” Sokka promised. “Even if I have to threaten him with my boomerang.”</p><p>“He’s the Avatar. I don’t think your boomerang will be much of a threat to him.”</p><p>“Well then I’ll <em>make </em>him apologise.”</p><p>“Sokka, you don’t understand. I really don’t care what Aang said. I don’t care that he doesn’t want me here anymore.”</p><p>“So that means you don’t have to leave right?” Sokka asked her hopefully. Katara shook her head.</p><p>“Sokka…” she began uncertainly. She wasn’t sure how much to tell him. She could spill the truth, all of it. But what would be the point? She was who she was. Telling the truth wasn’t going to change that. <em>She </em>wasn’t going to change, not again. “I’m not going to change,” she settled on. “If all we’re going to do is butt heads, then there really is no point us inconveniencing each other anymore.”</p><p>“You’re not an inconvenience!” Sokka gasped in shock. “What are you talking about?”</p><p>“Oh…well then I don’t want you inconveniencing me anymore.” Sokka’s face fell.</p><p>“Katara…” he croaked, his voice catching as he struggled to suppress a sob. What had <em>happened</em>? What had gone so wrong?</p><p>“Perhaps that’s unfair,” Katara reconsidered. Now that she thought about it, they weren’t an inconvenience. Katara didn’t have a solid plan as to what she wanted to do instead, so they were hardly getting in her way.</p><p>But it didn’t change the fact that the dynamic just wasn’t working anymore. Despite giving Aang the cold shoulder, she couldn’t help but observe him and his own behaviour. Aang truly was a child, in every sense of the word. In that he required constant reassurance, in that he had a desperate need to be liked or he might fall apart, in that he had no control over his emotions, in that he believed the world revolved around him. Avatar or not, it didn’t. The world would keep on turning exactly as it always did whether he was alive or not. What happened in the world might change, but without the ability to see the different paths of destiny that they could all take, there was no way of knowing for certain. The old Katara used to mother him, and fulfil all of his needs without a second thought. Now, though, she didn’t have the patience or the inclination for it. She might have felt differently if he was her brother, or even her actual child, but he wasn’t. So why should she care?</p><p>Of course, the irony was, now that he had actually stood up for himself, she realised that there was a trickle of respect for Aang now. But not enough to convince her it was worth her while staying.</p><p>“Yes, that was unfair,” Katara decided aloud. “I’m sorry, Sokka. You’re not an inconvenience. It was a poor choice of word.” Sokka nodded, accepting her apology, but he was still uneasy. “But I don’t want to stay where I’m not wanted,” she explained.</p><p>“You <em>are </em>wanted! I <em>want </em>you to stay,” Sokka insisted. Katara suddenly had an idea. She hadn’t anticipated Sokka reacting quite like this and wasn’t sure what to do. Had it been anyone else, she would have ignored them. But, despite her earlier dark thoughts about murdering him, Sokka nonetheless had some kind of hold on her. She didn’t want to see him like this, even if emotionally she was indifferent to his state. She slung her pack over her shoulder, and raised her hands to the necklace that was as integral a part of Katara as her waterbending and her hair loopies. She released the clasp and held the necklace in her hand, offering it to Sokka. Somehow, his expression only took on a more distraught appearance. She frowned in confusion.</p><p>“You don’t want it?” She thought it would help, a keepsake. She had very little need for such trinkets after all. Wearing the necklace wasn’t going to bring their mother back. She had assumed Sokka would find some comfort in it.</p><p>She had been wrong. That little, seemingly innocuous gesture broke the last, trembling finger Sokka held on to his own emotions, and his eyes uncharacteristically filled with tears.</p><p>“Why…why are you giving that to me, Katara?” he asked her thickly. “Why would you do that? Why would you…?” his words broke off, and he fell to his knees. A loud sob choked from his lips and he rubbed his face reflexively to wipe the tears that rolled down his cheeks away. Katara started at his behaviour, and her eyes widened in surprise.</p><p>“You’re crying,” she remarked gently, nonplussed. “Why?”</p><p>“What do you mean why?” Sokka burst out. “Can’t you…can you really not…Katara, what happened to you? Please just tell me! Stay and you can tell me and I’ll do everything in my power to help, I promise! You would <em>never </em>give up your necklace!”</p><p>“And…it upsets you that I am now?” she checked.</p><p>“Yes of course it does!”</p><p>Katara nodded thoughtfully. ‘That’s interesting,’ she thought. It seemed her lack of an emotional attachment to material objects was the most shocking transgression yet. Shocking enough to make her brother, a man by all rights and a man who was very particular about keeping up appearances of ‘manliness’, cry. How strange.</p><p>“I thought you might want it…as a keepsake,” she explained, still perplexed. Honestly, what was Sokka so upset about? “You can always come with me,” she offered. Sokka looked up at her in disbelief, and then twisted his head to the airbender who had by now approached the pot and was warily stirring it with his airbending, as if the rice would leap out at him and devour him if he didn’t get it just right. The same airbender who was the hope of the world, whose destiny it was to end the war. And Sokka knew in his heart that, no matter how much he wanted to help Katara through whatever she was struggling with, he couldn’t be that selfish. Aang was very powerful, yes, but his non-combat survival skills were…weak, to put it mildly. It was only reasonable. He had led a sheltered life under the care of the Air Nomads before being frozen, and since then he had been in the constant company of Sokka and Katara. He hadn’t had any need to develop those skills.</p><p>Sokka couldn’t leave him…there was too much at stake.</p><p>“I…I can’t,” he eventually replied, his voice full of regret.</p><p>“You should do what you want,” Katara urged him. “If that’s to stay with the Avatar, that’s your choice. I won’t try to change your mind about that.”</p><p>“And what is it you want, Katara?” Sokka asked her hoarsely, still on his knees. Katara crouched down opposite him. She considered hugging him. Would that make him feel better? Hesitantly, she raised her arms and scooted closer. Before she had time to react, Sokka threw his own arms around her neck, choking back another sob. Katara wrapped her own arms around his torso. Her hand still gripped the necklace.</p><p>“I…honestly don’t know,” she admitted quietly. Sokka sniffed and sunk his head onto her shoulder. Taking the moment to her advantage, Katara discretely slipped the necklace into the back pocket of Sokka’s trousers. She had no need for it anymore, except perhaps to sell it, but she wasn’t sure how much value a Water Tribe betrothal necklace would have, even within the Water Tribes. They were almost as common as ice in the North Pole, and the South would have no need nor means to acquire such trinkets. She was also sceptical that the Earth Kingdom would ascribe much monetary value to such a trinket, except perhaps as a curio or a relic from an exotic culture.</p><p>She felt confident in her decision to leave it with Sokka. He would know what to do with it.</p><p>****</p><p>In the end, Sokka was able to convince Katara to share dinner with them. She exchanged no further words with Aang, and made only light conversation with Sokka. She fell asleep under Sokka’s watchful eyes from across the campfire, crouched in what had to be an extremely uncomfortable position for a prolonged period. He rested on his haunches, as if to pounce at the slightest movement. He was determined to stand vigil all night if need be. But exhaustion eventually overcame him, and he too drifted off.</p><p>By the time he woke up, long after the sun had risen, Katara was nowhere to be seen.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And here is the canon divergence...</p><p>I'm going to be honest, I truly felt horrible for Sokka while I was writing that last scene. I actually felt guilty putting him through this pain (I suppose it's comforting that my level of empathy for a fictional character means I don't resemble our eponymous psychopath too much). In a future, currently unwritten, chapter I would like to focus on him and about how he copes with the loss of his sister. Is that something people would be interested in?</p><p>The next few chapters are going to focus on Katara and her new solo journey. A certain Prince will also be making some more appearances, but given that I am a shameless, if late-blooming, Zutara fan that was inevitable. The extremely subtle tags I used for this story may have helped give that away somewhat.</p><p>I won't make any promises about when the next chapter will be posted, because who knows what I'm going to do at this stage.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Katara Alone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara strikes out on her own and discovers her new calling after an unexpected encounter with the Fire Nation.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: This chapter contains references to rape/non-con</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As the bright and harsh sunlight streamed into the small room, Paik rolled over in the bed. He grunted as the sunbeams hit his eyes and they slowly forced themselves open. His head was pounding. He had had a few too many in the tavern below last night. She had been insatiable, as she always was after a job, and he had struggled to keep up with her. By the time they had staggered back up to the room she rented, he had almost been ready to pass out. But judging by the pile of clothes carelessly strewn on the floor, she must have kept him awake for a time.</p>
<p>The bed creaked loudly as he got up, but the commotion didn’t seem to disturb her and she still slumbered peacefully. She was facing away from him, towards the door. One of her hands was folded under her pillow, and he knew that she was clutching a dagger that she could withdraw at a moment’s notice. That was why he was careful not to wake her. When she was startled, she struck out. He had learned that the hard way after accidentally waking her up following the first night they had spent together. In theory, all soldiers were expected to return to the barracks for the evening, even the commander, but in practice a blind eye was turned for the soldiers that found company “away from home” for the night.</p>
<p>He silently dressed and strapped his sword to his back. Before he left the room, he stopped to drink in the naked seventeen-year-old still in bed. The thin fabric that acted as a poor excuse for a blanket left little to the imagination, and he could feel his nether regions begin to stir once more with desire as he took in her lithe form. If she wasn’t armed with lightning-quick reflexes, he would have considered waking her to enjoy themselves one last time before he had to begin his day. No matter. She would no doubt find him later, when she got bored, and hopefully by then he would have some more information for her. They could pick up where they left off that night.</p>
<p>As the door closed behind him, Katara’s eyes snapped open. He was taking longer and longer to just <em>leave</em> in the mornings, she thought with annoyance. She would have to stop drinking so much before inviting him back up. The only reason she let him stay passed out was because she was usually on the verge of it herself, by the time he’d stopped pumping behind her. Alcohol and pleasure combined could knock even the most determined fighter out, Katara had found, herself included. Of course, the only appeal this particular soldier held was that he was moderately attractive, which seemed to be good enough for her own urges. He was a bit simple but harmless, and spent his days under the command of a brute who bullied everyone he considered beneath him and tried to appear tough against any strays or newcomers that wandered through the village. But Paik himself was a useful resource, and that would have to do for now.</p>
<p>He’d better have something good for her today. True, she had only just returned to the village of Ganhan last night but if she was being honest, the last hunt had been rather dull and uninspiring. Her target had been a lowlife bandit who preyed on desperate refugees from further south, forced to cross the Si Wong Desert to reach Ba Sing Se. Katara had thought the bandit would be a challenge, or at least enough to excite her. What she had found had simply made her despair. The man was no big brute, as she had expected from the number of robberies he’d pulled off. He just had a big knife, and that had been enough for most of his victims. When Katara confronted him, it turned out he’d had no idea how to actually use it. He had slashed wildly at her, and all Katara had to do was step to the side to avoid his frantic, undisciplined swipes. After diving behind him, she fashioned manacles for his wrists and ankles out of ice and clamped them on with her bending. The ice wouldn’t last long in the heat, but it had been more than enough to disarm him, trip him and subdue him long enough for her to bind him fast with rope.</p>
<p>She shook her head as she’d pulled him to his feet. The knife glistened on the ground a short distance away. Katara flicked her wrist and the manacles fell away and she streamed the water back into her waterskin. “Don’t go anywhere,” she’d muttered to him as she crossed the distance to the knife. She knew nothing about blade upkeep, but even she could tell it had been neglected, as dull brown waves of rust could be seen lining the edge of the blade. It wasn’t even worth keeping as a trophy, she’d realised to her chagrin. Returning to the bandit, she then calmly asked him: “Are you going to come quietly?” The alternative being, of course, she would knock him out cold. After another scuffle. But he had nodded, his eyes wide and fearful. Katara cocked her head at his wordless response, feeling disappointed at how quickly he had submitted. She reached out and touched his cheek tenderly, and revelled in just how unnerved the bandit looked at the gesture. “Come on…” she coaxed in a sultry voice, leaning in. “You won’t even resist a <em>little</em>?” The man’s eyes widened further, and he hurriedly shook his head.</p>
<p>“No, ma’am,” he said in an impossibly small voice. Katara sighed and withdrew her hand. Weak. But of course, she had known that already.</p>
<p>After freeing his ankles so he could walk, Katara tied the rope binding his wrists to the saddle on her ostrich-horse, and climbed on to the creature, stroking her mane tenderly before tapping the sides with her feet. Luckily for the bandit, they were only two or three hours away from Ganhan. Otherwise it would have been a very uncomfortable journey for him. Once Katara had her targets in her custody, she didn’t like to stop.</p>
<p>Still, as boring as the bandit had been, it was a job and it was money. Katara had spent a not insignificant portion of her earnings in the inn that same evening, which also doubled as Ganhan’s tavern. It was barely even an inn, in reality – the owner had two spare rooms he rented out on the very rare occasions travellers actually stopped in Ganhan for the night. Since most of their visitors were refugees, most of them opted to simply camp outside of the village boundary. Katara had no doubt the less than warm welcome from the idiot commander contributed to that. But he hadn’t cowed her, and he wasn’t going to, no matter how hard he tried. He seemed to think that making increasingly vulgar comments towards and about her was supposed to make her shy away, or scare her. She usually just ignored him, unless she was feeling bored enough to try and get a rise out of him. She had been staying at the inn for almost a month now, after learning of the surprising benefits of remaining in the small, unremarkable village.</p>
<p>She didn’t often think of her former companions, though when she did, the only thing that really struck her was just how remarkably her life had changed in the space of a few short weeks…</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>
  <em>Six Weeks Earlier</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Katara lost track of the days quite quickly. Sunrise and sunset and everything in between all seemed to merge into one large event, and she began to think of her time travelling since the South Pole as Before and After she left the group at Aang's request and despite Sokka's desperate pleas for her to stay. As she had half-expected, Sokka turned down her offer to accompany her on her new journey, valuing his commitment to the Avatar over his sister. She wondered if she was supposed to be upset or angry about that. But as always, she felt nothing and the thought passed.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>She had been able to relieve her old companions of some of their food rations before she left. She needed to eat, too, and it was easier for them to find a town and re-stock than it was for her. They had a flying sky bison at their disposal. Katara had only her two feet and her wits. Each of them had also carried their own share of the little money they had with them, so she knew re-stocking for herself wouldn't be a problem when she came across a town or a village. Which was seeming less and less likely as she walked. </em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>When her food rations ran out, Katara quickly learned to adapt and took matters into her own hands.  Katara wasn't exactly excited now that she had struck out on her own, but she could honestly say she wasn't bored. She hadn't really considered just what it meant to go it alone. She was free from having to pretend, and being accountable only to herself without having to consider her brother did make a pleasant change, but it was also more difficult than Katara had anticipated. Just simply surviving was more difficult without companions. There was no-one to share the workload at finding sources of water (albeit as a waterbender that was easier for Katara in any event), foraging for nuts, mushrooms and berries, being able to distinguish the edible from deadly poison, and last of all, hunting. The only hunting experience Katara had was when she had accompanied Sokka back home, and even then he had always taken the lead. He had been the one who had actually been taught.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>As a girl, Katara's education had been more focused on the actual preparation of the fare the hunters brought back. In many other ways, women were far more valuable and had far more autonomy in the Southern Water Tribe than they did in the Northern, but it still rankled. Women were just as capable as men of tracking, luring, trapping and killing their prey – they just weren't taught. Tracking, at least, was significantly easier in the Earth Kingdom than it had been in the Poles. There was also a much higher abundance of prey. Being so inexperienced, there were plenty of meals where Katara had to settle for the fruits of her foraging, but it was enough to keep her belly from rumbling if not full. But foraging was also becoming harder and harder.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>As soon as she left the mountains behind and fell onto the sandy plains that ringed the Si Wong Desert, she took to travelling at night, to escape both the at-times searing heat of the day and because her bending was strongest when the moon was out, fuelling her. Any would-be attackers or predators would get quite a nasty shock, if they thought that a lone, young female traveller like her would be an easy target. But people also seemed to be a rarity in the region. Given the hostile environment, she supposed it was only logical.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>At sunrise, she would find a place to camp or at least seek shelter from the unrelenting sun which beat down on the plains, day in and day out. There was no relief to be had from rainfall – being on the fringes of the desert, the climate was almost equally as dry. She began to wonder if it was even possible for human settlements to survive in the arid plains. As the vegetation became sparser, so too did opportunities for foraging, upon which Katara had largely survived. She had been able to gather quite a stockpile in the mountains, and almost considered staying and perhaps living her life as a hermit, and becoming a legend that frightened wary travellers lest they cross her path. As much as she liked the idea of being a cautionary tale, she quickly rejected it. She was better than that, and capable of so much more. How dull a life that would be.</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>At the time, Katara had had no inkling as to what she would actually <em>do </em>when she did find a town. Sure, she could have just stocked up and kept wandering, but to what end? She didn’t want to waste her life wandering around aimlessly. She wanted a purpose, something to keep her focused and engaged. It did occur to her she could try and join the war effort just for the excitement of actually being in the heat of battle rather than constantly on the run. Perhaps see about enlisting in the Earth Kingdom army, but it hadn’t escaped her notice that she had never once seen a female soldier. The Earth Kingdom seemed to treat their women, half of their population, in the same way as the Northern Water Tribe – as delicate flowers to be delicately handled, too delicate to be capable of making their own choices. She’d supposed she could heal, but Katara had very little interest in the prospect of following in Yugoda’s footsteps and simply sitting and waiting in a healing hut for her patients to come to her. No, she wanted to be <em>out </em>there, in the middle of it all. Waiting in healing huts just sounded interminably boring, and the novelty of any gruesome injuries would have soon worn off. She didn’t fully comprehend how her mind worked now, even after two months, but she knew that much.</p>
<p>Those moments of pensiveness were the only times Katara had questioned her decision to leave Sokka and the Avatar. At least teaching the Avatar waterbending had been something to do, and she couldn’t deny that some of their adventures had been deliciously exciting. But she’d then reminded herself that her departure from the group had been spurred on by that same Avatar. That same Avatar had rejected her, all because of a few snide comments. It had been pathetic. Sokka at least had fought hard for her to stay. She hoped she would at least see <em>him </em>again, in the future. If neither of them were killed first, that was.</p>
<p>The spirits must have been watching and listening, however, for a random and highly unexpected encounter, a short while after leaving, dropped the opportunity she hadn’t even known she’d been waiting for into her lap.</p>
<p>
  <em>Katara could smell them before she heard them, let alone saw them. As well as the slightly pungent smell of smoke drifting towards her with the wind, the scent of something else caught her attention. Meat…fresh meat…being delectably roasted over an open fire. She could almost taste the juices that licked the fresh carcass, could almost hear the hiss of the fire as droplets of fat fell into the flames. It was enough to make her mouth water.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Cloaked by the darkness, Katara crept towards the fire. She could hear them now, talking and laughing loudly as if they had no cares in the world, as if they had nothing to fear from detection. She could tell from the distinct lack of sky bison and begging lemur that it wasn’t her brother and the Avatar. Good. She had no desire to run into them. But her curiosity was piqued. These travellers were the first people she had come across since leaving her old companions. The solitude had done little for Katara’s ability to interact ‘normally’ with others, but it had honed her instincts sharply. And her instincts were telling her to approach. Even if all she did was run in, swipe whatever mouthwatering fare was on the fire, and run out before they could even detect her. Katara’s solitude had also given her plenty of time to practice her waterbending. She had tinkered some with the water whip, wondering if it could be used not just to strike but to retrieve. This seemed like as good a moment as any to try it out. If she got drawn into a battle, all the better, she thought hungrily. It was a full moon, after all.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Katara edged as close to the small camp as she dared, when she finally saw them. There were only three of them, all men. They had haphazardly heaped their swords and helmets to one side, barely within reach of the nearest man, that only proved to Katara they weren’t expecting any trouble and wouldn’t be a challenge if it did come to blows. She could knock all three of them to the ground before they could even reach for their weapons. She then spied the deep red of their tunics and cloaks, and a spark of excitement flickered to life within her.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Fire Nation soldiers,’ she realised, feeling more resolved than before. No wonder they were being so careless – they thought they were untouchable, that no-one would dare approach them. Which they probably wouldn’t, she had to admit. She smirked. This was going to be fun. She hadn’t experienced a good fight since Omashu, and if they were Fire Nation, there was a good chance at least one of them was a firebender. She hadn’t had the chance to knock down a firebender since the North Pole. Katara still had a score to settle on that front, and she intended to fulfil it one day, but for now she could make do with a training dummy in human form.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Filled with hot and eager anticipation, Katara herself became slightly careless and as she lurched forward, a twig snapped loudly underfoot. The talking suddenly stopped and Katara froze. “Son of a bitch,” she cursed. She thought quickly. Should she flee and circle back? Should she jump out and attack? Or should she act humbled and fearful, and see just what she could get them to believe?</em>
</p>
<p><em>If Aang had taught her anything, it’s that even the most ostensibly forgiving bleeding heart in the entire world could turn against you. As much as solitude suited her, if she didn’t want to be a hermit living out her days focusing only on survival and never actually doing anything, or killed, she had to learn how to blend in. Not everyone was as tolerant as the swampbenders. She had briefly toyed with the idea of returning to them, but theirs was a meagre subsistence living. They were essentially a </em>tribe<em> of hermits – they had each other, but did nothing in the world at large, their only interaction with the outside world again being (un)wary travellers who happened upon them in their habitat. She knew she would quickly grow very bored of that lifestyle.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Is there somebody there?” one of the soldiers called out, standing now. Katara forced a fearful expression onto her face, and widened her eyes as if in shock, and stepped out from behind a tree.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I…I’m sorry,” she stammered. The standing soldier approached her, and Katara stepped back, hoping she looked nervous enough.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Hey Liu, back off, she’s just a kid,” one of the other soldiers admonished. Katara frowned internally – she was seventeen, of marrying age. She was hardly a kid, but decided not to press it. It could actually work in her favour if they thought she was too young to be a threat. It would make it all the more surprising when she struck. The soldier named Liu stepped away, lowering into a small bow.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“My apologies, miss,” he said sincerely. “I thought you might be an attacker.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Not a very good one with the amount of noise I made,” Katara replied drily, before grimacing. She hadn’t meant to let that slip. So much for appearing fearful… To her surprise, Liu’s companions both sniggered and Liu himself flushed with shame.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We don’t know what animals roam these parts” Liu muttered sulkily and returned to the fire, causing the other two to laugh again. One of the others looked up at Katara, who had plastered an expression of uncertainty on her face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Are you hungry?” he offered, gesturing to the meat on the fire. Katara wasn’t sure what manner of plains-dwelling creature they had managed to snare, but it did smell delicious. It was what had drawn her to them after all. Katara nodded wordlessly, not trusting herself not to reveal too much if she opened her mouth again. She watched curiously as the soldier grinned at her and fetched a bowl, ladled in a healthy helping of rice from a pot she had only just noticed, before deftly slicing off some meat from the creature on the spit with a dagger. He proffered the bowl to her. “It’s not poisoned,” he assured her. Katara stepped forward and uncertainly took the bowl. At the soldier’s nod, Katara lowered herself to the ground down across the fire from them. She reached into her pack for her chopsticks and began gratefully tucking in.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She didn’t know how it had come to this, or what was going to happen next, but she would be lying if she said the whole situation wasn’t intriguing her.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Thank you,” she said quietly.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“It’s no problem,” the man smiled. “We have plenty. My name’s Trei, by the way. That’s Shinju,” he gestured to the third man who hadn’t yet spoken, “and this jumpy thing here is Liu.” He clapped Liu on the back, who flinched. “He’s a little green,” Trei sniggered.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Green?” Katara queried.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“New, inexperienced,” Trei explained. Katara supposed Liu did look younger than the other two, but not by much. “What’s your name?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Katara thought for a moment. As friendly as these soldiers seemed to be, if they found out who she was and who had she been travelling with, their moods could quickly turn. They were Fire Nation after all, in enemy territory. Which truly begged the question of why they were being so hospitable, but that wasn’t something Katara could figure out yet. Besides, as much as she itched for a fight, Katara hadn’t finished her dinner.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Raina,” she replied eventually. It was a name she had heard somewhere once, and she’d found she liked it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Do you drink, Raina?” Trei offered her the bottle they had been passing around before Katara’s interruption. Katara realised it was a bottle of rum. At least, that’s what it said on the label. “This here is something special,” he boasted. “You can’t get this outside of…” Shinju loudly cleared his throat, and Trei shook himself. “It’s a little strong so just…take it easy.” Katara’s eyes met Trei’s, and she smirked at the hint of a challenge that lay behind his gaze. She brought the bottle to her lips, and fought the urge to cough as the strong liquid trickled hotly down her throat, filling her chest and her belly with fire. Her eyes widened, for real this time, and as she spluttered, the soldiers fell into amiable laughter. “Good stuff, right?” Trei smirked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You’re not kidding,” Katara agreed, reluctantly handing the bottle back.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“So, what brings you to these parts, Raina?” Trei asked conversationally. “It’s not often we see travellers on our patrols.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You’re patrolling? Why?” Katara deflected, genuinely curious. She had studied the map of the Earth Kingdom almost as intensely as Sokka, and as far as she could see, there was no discernible reason for the Fire Nation to be patrolling these parts. There was nothing of strategic or other value in the area. If they were planning further invasions into the Earth Kingdom, this was a very strange place to start.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We’re on the hunt for a couple of fugitives,” Shinju finally spoke. “Two men, one short and round, the other tall with dark hair. You haven’t seen any types like that on your travels have you?” Katara shook her head. It didn’t escape her notice that that vague description sounded unnervingly like the Avatar and her brother. She considered pressing for more information, but what would be the point? There was nothing she could do. Even if she knocked these three out, they were hardly the only Fire Nation soldiers who were hunting the Avatar. All that would do would draw attention to herself, attention that these soldiers seemed to have no intention of giving her. “Well, good. They’re very dangerous individuals. A pretty young thing like you wouldn’t want to get mixed up in that.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Says who?” Katara challenged. Shinju looked up at her in surprise, and she noticed Liu and Trei had done the same. She smirked at them, and they relaxed and chuckled in response. “I…uh, have a weird sense of humour,” Katara finally admitted. She looked back to Trei, having had time to formulate her response. “No, the truth is I’m going to Ba Sing Se.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You and the rest of the Earth Kingdom,” Trei muttered, taking a sip of the rum.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well, there is a war on,” Katara said, pointedly taking in their glaringly obvious Fire Nation army garb. Trei looked at his companions uncomfortably, before meeting Katara’s gaze. He expected to see hatred, fear or even plain disgust on her face. But her expression was completely placid. She had clearly worked out they were Fire Nation soldiers, the enemy by all accounts. And she was clearly not a Fire Nation citizen.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Trei had honestly thought, hoped, that perhaps she wouldn’t notice, or overlook the fact that they were enemy soldiers in territory in which they had no right to be in favour of the kindness he had tried to show her. But now he was beginning to regret inviting her to eat with them. He had only wanted to be friendly…but he was Fire Nation. Fire Nation and friendly didn’t tend to mix, in both his experience and the experience of the rest of the world. She looked so young, and thin. It was clear she hadn’t eaten properly in days, at least.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“But thank you for sharing your food with me,” she added when it was clear no-one else was going to speak. She felt something that wasn’t excitement or boredom stir within her, but she couldn’t put a name to it. And for some unfathomable reason, she felt compelled to rescue the situation. These soldiers seemed to be genuine, at least for the time being, and they had fed her from their own pot because…honestly, she didn’t know. It confused and intrigued her. But it was deeper than that. She felt something almost akin to guilt that she had all but thrown their hospitality and their kindness back in their faces by bluntly pointing out it was their precious war that meant the Earth Kingdom was filled to the brim with refugees seeking to escape its horrors. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Apologise,’ a small voice whispered in the back of her mind, only deepening Katara’s confusion. Why was she responding like this? She couldn’t explain it, at all. Why would she care if their feelings got hurt by the truth? “That was really kind of you,” she finally uttered. “I apologise if I’ve made you uncomfortable.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We…get it a lot,” Liu sighed. ‘Can’t imagine why,’ Katara thought sarcastically.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“And honestly, I can understand where you’re coming from,” Trei agreed. “We don’t exactly have the best reputation round these parts.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I’m sure it’s none of my concern,” Katara replied. She cleared her bowl of the last morsels of food.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“All the same,” Trei continued, feeling much better. “I would actually like to thank </em>you<em>. There aren’t many folks who would give us a chance. I wouldn’t have blamed you for running away and bringing the Earth Kingdom army back here.” Truthfully, Katara hadn’t even considered that. But Trei wasn’t finished. “You’re welcome to share our fire tonight as well, if you wish. It can get cold,” Trei said. Katara looked at him, utterly perplexed. Just what was his game? Were they just trying to lure her into a false sense of security so they could capture her after all? Had she completely misread them? Did they somehow know who she was?</em></p>
<p><em>Or did they just see a lone woman and assume she was easy prey? Perhaps they thought that if they were nice enough, she would keep </em>them<em> warm that night. Perhaps they assumed that if she didn’t, they would just take her by force. That behaviour, at least, Katara could wrap her head around, and suddenly their kind gestures made a modicum of sense. But it still puzzled her. Surely if they wanted to take her by force, they would have tried that by now. Predators didn’t tend to let their prey feed before moving in for the kill. They preferred them to be weak. There was a reason injured animals were an incredibly rare sight, so quickly were they snapped up by human and animal alike.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Why are you being so nice to me?” Katara finally asked, folding her arms across her chest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“The way I see it, you didn’t want this war and I didn’t want this war,” Trei replied honestly, bowing his head low as if ashamed. “A…a lot of us were conscripted. We didn’t have a choice. Some of us, like Liu here, only joined to keep his family from starving.” Katara nodded. “And you’re just a civilian,” Trei continued. “We have nothing against you. We’re happy to share our resources if it means we can keep someone safe. That’s what soldiers are supposed to do, right?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“But I’m the enemy,” Katara frowned.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You’re not an enemy of the Fire Nation, are you?” Trei shrugged. Katara believed that her not being Fire Nation meant that actually, yes, she was the enemy by default. But these soldiers didn’t seem to believe that.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Not last I checked,” Katara replied, a ghost of a smile creeping up onto her face. Trei nodded in understanding, and proffered the bottle of rum to her once more.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well, you’ve never done anything to me,” Trei continued. “So you’re not my enemy.” It was an overly simplistic mantra, Katara mused, but not an illogical one. It looked as though she wasn’t going to get her fight, but she supposed this could nevertheless be an interesting experience. It had to beat wandering around aimlessly by herself.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Then I guess you’re not my enemy either,” she decided, and gladly took the proffered bottle for another swig. The rum itself was doing something to her, and she couldn’t say she didn’t find it tantalising.</em>
</p>
<p><em>They passed the evening talking, and Katara learned more about the fugitives they were patrolling for. They had heard rumours that they were in the area, and the entire army not engaged in active combat was under direct orders from the Fire Princess herself to bring in the traitors. Katara masked her surprise when Trei admitted that it was the banished prince and his uncle, the retired general, that they were seeking to apprehend. Katara hadn’t realised that Zuko even had a sister, let alone that </em>she <em>was now hunting </em>him. <em>‘My, how the tides have turned,’ she thought. Perhaps even the Fire Nation had got tired of his ridiculous antics in chasing them all over the world. Not that they’d seen him for a while. And what was it Shinju had said? They had been spotted (or rumoured to have been spotted) in the area. That was an interesting development.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Katara couldn’t help but think that Trei probably shouldn’t have been so open with her. Shinju had been careful not to mention the scar when describing Zuko, which would have given away instantly just who they looking for. She couldn’t be certain why they wanted to keep that a secret, unless they believed for some reason that this information could be used against them in the wrong hands. But rum, it seemed, did something to Trei, too. It certainly loosened his tongue, especially after Shinju had started snoring loudly just a few feet away. She had worked out that Shinju must be their captain, and Trei had already admitted that Liu was a fresh recruit. She couldn’t help but think how easy it would be to turn all of their honesty against them if she decided to.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Katara in turn weaved her own backstory. Her dark skin and deep blue eyes meant she couldn’t deny being from the Water Tribe, but “Raina” had only been born there before her family had fled to the Earth Kingdom. They had settled in Gaoling before “Raina’s” family tragically perished a few weeks ago, and she had set off on her own on foot to Ba Sing Se to seek a long-lost relative.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Katara did end up spending the night beside them, although she didn’t get much sleep. Contrary to her earlier thoughts, none of them had once tried to approach her or entice her into their bedrolls. It seemed they really were just acting out of the goodness of their hearts. She had witnessed people offering what little they had all over the world, but each and every time, it had been because one of their number was the Avatar. She imagined that if it had just been her and Sokka, they would have seen many more doors slammed in their faces.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Trei, Shinju and Liu had no reason to be kind, though. These Fire Nation soldiers really were just being friendly, and helping a fellow human out. A fellow human who, by all rights, should be their enemy. It was an oddly disconcerting thought, and not at all in line with everything that Katara thought she had known about the world.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was still a full moon, and once she was certain they were all asleep, she snuck away to practice some forms as well as mull over the events of the evening in her mind. She wasn’t sure what made her go back to them. It was cold, and the fire was pleasant, though she had found that just walking briskly meant she rarely felt the chill. But she did return and must have drifted off herself, because the next thing she could remember was being gently shaken awake by Liu, offering her a cup of tea and rice for breakfast.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>To her surprise, they offered to escort her to the town they were stationed in. It was only a half-day away, and Shinju pointed out that she could stock up on provisions, ask around for advice on getting to Ba Sing Se, and perhaps even find a map to help her on her journey. Katara was uncertain when she realised that the town was clearly occupied by the Fire Nation, but was interested to learn it was still largely governed by locals. Shinju was careful to point out that she had nothing to fear from their barracks being close by. The Fire Nation had no interest in pursuing random refugees, and she could be assured she would be left in peace once they arrived. Katara accepted their offer, glad she had listened to her instincts from the night before. A part of her was still disappointed she didn’t get her fight, but she wasn’t going to turn down genuinely useful assistance for the sake of a quick thrill. That would have just been stupid.</em>
</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>From the time she reached the town that her escorts were stationed in (she forgot the name), it had all been a bit of a whirlwind. Tired of camping, Katara had treated herself to a bed and a hot meal at the local inn for a couple of nights, hoping to use the time to plan her next steps. She decided to take Shinju’s advice and asked around about purchasing a map of the Earth Kingdom. That had been easier said than done as the town was too small and insignificant to receive many merchants. As luck had had it, one of the other patrons of the inn she had been staying at pointed her to a cartographer who lived a secluded existence on the outskirts of the town. Rumour had it that he had been employed by the Fire Nation for his skills, and was therefore seen as aiding them, and had been made a pariah. Katara suspected ‘threatened’ was more accurate, but the Earth Kingdom citizens didn’t seem to care. He had had to move out of town for his own safety. But that didn’t stop Katara from approaching him, and he had seemed genuinely pleased to see a customer at his doorstep. Unfortunately, the map had taken almost the last of Katara’s money. She had considered returning that night and simply stealing it from him, but relented when he’d also thrown in a thick, black travelling cloak as a gesture of goodwill. He had pointed out that the Si Wong Desert could get deathly cold at night, no matter how scorching hot the day was. Katara had been enamoured enough with the cloak to simply accept his offer without further argument. It was more of a gown that she could easily slip over her dress than a cloak, but she imagined just how easy it would be to blend into the shadows if she did turn to stealing. It was perfect and seemed to have been made for her, so well did it fit. And it was of very fine quality.</p>
<p>That evening, as she took a walk through the town, fate had sent her another twist. She had heard the sounds of struggle coming from a dark alleyway, a light, high-pitched pleading voice drowned out by a gruff, deep voice. Feeling that same thrill Katara always felt when a fight was imminent, she decided to intervene and quickly tackled the would-be robber. He had put up a fight, enough of one that Katara had to draw on her waterbending, but that had only fuelled her excitement. Once he was down and out, the woman who would have been his victim had urged her to flee before the brute woke up but Katara had none of it. She had briefly considered just killing him, but she wasn’t sure if even her new state of mind would have been settled with that.</p>
<p>It was then that she had noticed the blood on the wall behind the woman. The robber had banged her head against it when he had first dragged her into the alley. That irritating small voice that had fallen silent since her apology to the Fire Nation soldiers whispered to her to heal the woman, and Katara had reluctantly listened. She would have preferred to have just moved on. The town had other healers, it wasn’t as if the woman would have been left completely untreated. But Katara later realised that listening to that voice had ultimately been a good thing for her – the woman’s family, to show their gratitude for Katara both saving and healing their daughter, gifted her an ostrich-horse when they encountered her the next morning, which Katara had accepted without hesitation.</p>
<p>A patrol of guards came by shortly after the woman had been healed, and their jaws had virtually dropped at the sight of two young women arguing over what to do with the unconscious robber. The man, as it had turned out, was a well-known pest in the town but no-one had been able to apprehend him before. That had surprised Katara – he hadn’t been much of a challenge at all. But then again, she was a waterbender. Earthbenders were quickly shipped away, either to the prison rigs by the Fire Nation, by their own families for their protection, or to the ranks of the Earth Kingdom military. Perhaps to a non-bender, the robber would have been a formidable opponent.</p>
<p>And so it was that Katara had claimed her first bounty, entirely by accident. She had earned more than enough to stay at the inn for a while longer, but that had turned out not to be necessary. Despite the fact that the town was occupied by the Fire Nation, the guard patrol was made up of Earth Kingdom citizens. The guards had an entire book of unclaimed bounties, from throughout the Kingdom, and were more than happy to let her take a look through it. She was grateful that they were locals, as she suspected the Fire Nation soldiers wouldn’t have been so accommodating. Most of the bounties were ones to simply keep an eye out for rather than confirmed sightings, but there were also plenty of the latter. Katara had decided there was no harm in trying for another one. It had been very thrilling.</p>
<p>It took only two more for Katara to be bitten, and it was then that she knew what she wanted to do with her time now that she was alone and unburdened by needy companions. The smile she wore when she brought the bounties in had been, rarely for Katara, genuine. She had found her calling.</p>
<p>A few days later, another bounty was sent through from the plains village of Ganhan. It stated that this man was fleeing justice, and it was likely he would pass through the town. Katara unrolled her new map and realised that Ganhan was only two days’ ride away, and there was only one road, if it could be called that, between the two. With her new ostrich-horse at her disposal, Katara impulsively decided to try and hunt this bounty, planning to intercept him en route. It was at least a three-day journey on foot, she’d calculated, and she was certain she would be able to find him. Her tracking skills had improved some thanks to her time in the mountains, and it wasn’t as if the area was flooded with travellers. Chances were, the first person she came across would be him, she’d reasoned. And it did seem like fun to try. It offered a very reasonable reward, and it was an opportunity to visit a new place as the bounty notice required that the escapee be returned to Ganhan for justice (and for Katara’s reward), not merely deposited at any Earth Kingdom military station. She was interested to see what else destiny and the spirits had in store for her. They had certainly seemed to be looking upon her favourably at that moment.</p>
<p>This particular bounty had turned out to be very lacklustre and disappointingly easy. The man had barely made it three leagues from Ganhan, and so it took Katara longer than expected to track him down. When she had found him, slumped against a tree just off the road, not even <em>attempting </em>to hide, she wasn’t even certain it was him at first. The artist rendering that had come with the bounty notice had made it seem as though he was five years younger and with a build that most definitely did not resemble the bone-thin, gaunt and half-starved man she came across. But one look at his eyes told her it was him. He was too weak to put up any resistance. Katara wasn’t even convinced he would make it back to Ganhan on foot so she tightly bound his wrists with rope, which was in turn tied to the saddle, and sat him down in front of her on the ostrich-horse. He had seemed strangely grateful for the gesture, though it wasn’t kindness on Katara’s part. If he didn’t make it back, she didn’t get her money. The notice hadn’t specified that he had to be brought back alive, but it also didn’t specify proof of his death would suffice and Katara hadn’t wanted to risk him collapsing and dying on the road, lest it meant she had come out all that way for nothing.</p>
<p>That was the first time she had met Paik.</p>
<p>
  <em>After what seemed like an age, the village of Ganhan finally crested over the horizon. The man had remained completely silent during the journey, which suited Katara just fine. She wasn’t one for small talk. As the ostrich-horse trotted into the village, Katara dismounted and led her by the reins on foot. The sounds of laughter could be heard coming from one of the buildings at the other end of the main thoroughfare, and bursts of light shone out onto the sandy street whenever patrons entered or left the building. Apart from that, the village was quiet and still, and Katara had only the moonlight to guide her.</em>
</p>
<p><em>The notice had stated that the man was to be delivered to the barracks, which Katara reasoned also doubled as Ganhan’s makeshift jail. The man certainly didn’t look like a defector, and besides that, she knew what he was wanted for – raping a young woman. Younger than Katara, even. It was a despicable crime, and although Katara couldn’t say she felt anything at the knowledge, intellectually she reasoned that meant that to his jailers, he was probably fair game to whatever came his way. It was only because he had been in such a pitiable condition that she hadn’t been rougher with him, though given that this man had seemingly languished in jail without proper sustenance, she knew he would get his comeuppance. It just wouldn’t be delivered by Katara. Her job ended when she delivered </em>him<em>.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Katara had no idea how to find the barracks, and almost considered demanding the information from her bounty, when she spotted a man stumbling from what she presumed was the tavern. She approached him, still tugging on the reins of her ostrich-horse.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Where can I find the barracks?” she asked him plainly. The man blinked at her drunkenly, and stumbled once more. He then just stood swaying and staring between her and her prisoner for a time. Just as Katara was about to lose patience, the man lifted an arm and pointed vaguely to the south. Katara nodded in gratitude and continued on her way, following the man’s finger. She doubted how useful his “directions” were, but even if he was wrong, it was a very small village. It would hardly take her all night to find them.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Surprisingly, the man had pointed her in the right direction. There was a side street off the main thoroughfare, and behind the houses and businesses was a cluster of buildings that Katara took to be the barracks. She noted that there were two separate entrances to the compound, one for the barracks themselves and one for – presumably – the jail. She aimed for the jail first and loudly rapped her knuckles against the door. There was no answer. She persisted, but still nobody came.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“For fuck’s sake,” she cursed under her breath. Maybe she should go back to the tavern? That was probably where all the soldiers were at this time anyway.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Suddenly, her prisoner cleared his throat, and she looked up at him sharply.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You-you could…try the soldier’s quarters,” he suggested weakly. Either he was truly on the brink of starvation or the man had suddenly grown a conscience and knew he was going to get what he deserved, Katara thought.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“Get off,” she instructed in response. The man attempted to clamber down, ungracefully thanks to the rope around his wrists. He lost his balance as he tried to swing his leg over and tumbled to the ground, one ankle still trapped in the stirrup. The ostrich-horse brayed and jolted at the sudden movement. Katara reached out and patted her mane, whispering to her, and the creature soon calmed. Then Katara leant down and unhooked the man’s ankle. She latched an arm on his elbow and forced him up onto his feet. They approached the door to the barracks proper, her hand still on his elbow and tugging him along. She could see candlelight flickering through the windows, and the sound of muffled talking. At least </em>someone <em>was home. She lifted her knuckles and tapped loudly on the door.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>A tall, young-looking soldier answered it almost immediately, a wide grin on his face.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You guys back already – oh! Good evening, miss,” he greeted politely.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I have your bounty,” Katara replied, gesturing to her prisoner beside her. The soldier raised his eyebrows, looking stunned and uncertain.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Is-is that-?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yes,” Katara confirmed. “This is your rapist. I honestly don’t understand why you needed to send out for a bounty hunter, he gave me no trouble at all.” She sounded almost disappointed. Paik frowned in confusion. “But whatever,” Katara continued. “Here he is. Do what you want with him. I’ll just collect my fee and be on my way.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“</em>You<em>…brought him in?” Paik questioned. Katara sighed. So far, this had happened each and every time. What was it with the Earth Kingdom? Katara knew for a fact she wasn’t the only female bounty hunter in the land. She had been tracked down by one herself just a few months ago. She doubted </em>that <em>woman was greeted with questioning, doubtful looks whenever she delivered.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Yes, I did. I used my womanly wiles to entrap him,” Katara replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Paik put up his hands in surrender. “All right, all right,” he conceded. “I’ve just…never seen one so young before. Let’s get him to the cells.” Even though they were only venturing a few feet, Paik grabbed his cloak and wrapped it around himself before picking up a thick, iron ring laden with keys. He led them back to the jail, stopping to glance at the bounty hunter and her prisoner as he unlocked the door. He took her in, still uncertain. She was dressed all in black and her hair was scraped back into a messy ponytail. The black fingerless gloves adorning her hands certainly completed the look, and she had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. Paik supposed he had no real way of knowing how old she was. Her eyes certainly didn’t betray any flicker of innocence, but her round face just looked so…young. Too young to be carrying out such a violent line of work. He grimaced. Younger than her had been sent to the front, he supposed. If this was what she had to do to survive, more power to her, he thought.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Once the man was locked back up behind bars, Paik took the opportunity to study the man’s captor in the dim light. He noted that neither hunter nor prisoner had a mark on them. Perhaps he really hadn’t given her any trouble.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You been doing this long?” he asked her conversationally as he reached for the lockbox where they kept their funds. Katara didn’t answer. It was none of his business how long she had been doing this. Besides that, it was hard enough being taken seriously without being questioned. She was hardly going to admit she had fallen into this accidentally just a week ago. “What’s your name?” he tried again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Raina.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Raina,” Paik smiled at her pleasantly. “I’m Paik.” Katara nodded, though the disinterest wasn’t doing a good job of hiding from her face. “That guy is a real piece of work.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I told you, he wasn’t any trouble,” Katara said. “Makes me wonder what kind of conditions you keep your prisoners in.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“W-well, we only have so many resources, and-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah, I really don’t care what you do to your prisoners,” Katara interrupted him. “I just figured he must have been here for a while. His portrait looks nothing like him.”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“It has been a few months,” Paik admitted. “We always get their likenesses when we first bring them in, you know in case…well, </em>this <em>happens. But we can’t try him without a magistrate, and the nearest one is in Gaoling.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“What do you do with them until then?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Just keep them here, really,” Paik replied. “I’d be happy to tell you more about how it works, if you’re interested. And maybe you can tell me all about how you go into this business. You must have some stories.” As much as Katara appreciated he was now taking her seriously, she still had no interest in sharing her story, real or fake. He handed Katara a pouch that had been set aside for the bounty, and watched as she upended it and counted the contents.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I don’t think so, I won’t be staying long,” she replied, not unkindly. Satisfied that the reward was all there, she nodded and placed the coins back into the pouch. “Can you point me to an inn, please?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Of course, miss. Just go back to the main street, and look for the tavern. You’ll probably hear it before you see it,” he joked. Katara didn’t look amused. “It’s…all we have I’m afraid.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That’s fine,” Katara told him. “Does it have a stable?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh is that your ostrich-horse out there?”</em>
</p>
<p><em>“Well it’s certainly not </em>his<em>,” Katara retorted, gesturing to the man they had just locked up, and who was now sleeping surprisingly peacefully on a thin mat on the floor.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Okay!” Paik conceded. “You got a tongue on you, huh?” he smirked.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“So I’ve been told,” Katara replied, returning his smirk. Paik let out a small chuckle. For some reason, he liked her brashness.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well anyway, no there’s no stable at the tavern. Ganhan doesn’t exactly get a lot of travellers,” Paik explained. “But…I’d be happy to stable her for the night. Free of charge, of course. Call it a bonus for bringing this scumbag back so quickly.” Katara nodded. She didn’t like the idea, but what choice did she have? She reasoned she could always come back and kick his ass if something was amiss when she returned. And then just take another ostrich-horse. For them to bother having a stable, the army had to have more.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Thank you,” she replied. “I’ll be back in the morning for her.” Paik nodded.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I might not be here, but I’ll let the guys know,” he assured her. “You said your name was…Raina?” Katara nodded in affirmation. She had no real reason to continue hiding her identity like she had with the Fire Nation soldiers, but she found she liked being Raina. As Raina, she had more liberty to be as brash and to the point as she liked. It didn’t matter what people thought, because Raina came in to do a job and then left. She had also wondered on occasion if she might be recognised by the name Katara alone. It was clearly a name unique to the Water Tribe, and word of the Avatar’s return had spread far and wide. It wasn’t at all unreasonable to assume that people would also know of his Water Tribe companions.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Yes, she decided, being Raina the Bounty Hunter suited her. It was better than Raina the Refugee. And much more preferable than Katara the Avatar’s Waterbender. She still knew who she was. That was what mattered.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>After they bade each other good night, Katara wandered back to the main thoroughfare in search of the tavern. As she walked up the street back towards the sound of laughter, she suddenly heard a grunt and soft groans coming from the alleyway to her left. It didn’t sound like anyone was under attack, but Katara’s curiosity was nonetheless piqued. She may yet get a fight today, she thought, her lips twisting into a small smile.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>What she found instead was a large man with middling-length hair panting and groaning, his thick hands clamping onto something just below his waist. His breeches were around his knees, and it was only by the grace of his tunic that Katara didn’t have to bear the sight of his bare ass clenching in pleasure. Katara didn’t need to be a genius to figure out exactly what was going on. She watched with idle fascination, mulling over just what kind of village she had stumbled into, when the man suddenly turned around and spotted her. A very ugly man, with a wide square jaw and leering eyes that just glinted with malice. Well that settled it, Ganhan definitely had a resident prostitute. No self-respecting woman would willingly get on her knees in a dark alley for such an ugly brute if she wasn’t being paid for it. She wondered if the prostitute demanded a bonus for servicing him. Katara knew she would, if she was in the other woman’s shoes.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You want to get in on this, girlie?” the man smirked, winking at her. Despite herself, Katara was taken aback. She raised her eyebrows.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Fuck you,” she retorted with thinly veiled disgust and began on her way again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That can be arranged, sweetheart!” he jeered after her, but Katara ignored him.</em>
</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>
  <em>When Katara returned to the barracks the next morning, it was Paik who greeted her again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Good morning, Raina,” he smiled at her. “Did you find the tavern okay?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yes. Is she ready?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Fed, watered and all saddled up for you,” Paik told her cheerfully. He had promised himself he was going to try and get her to smile today. She had such a gorgeous face. It would only make her light up, he was sure.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That’s very kind of you,” was all he received in response. She noted that the prisoner was still laid flat out on the mat, apparently not having moved since last night. She wondered if he was dead and Paik just hadn’t noticed. No, he was breathing, she realised. Paik caught her looking at him. “I took pity on him and gave him my rations for breakfast,” he offered despite not being asked. “He ate it and then just curled right back up.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I see.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As Katara was about to leave, the ugly brute from last night came crashing in.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“We’re still waiting on those teas, boy!” he snapped impatiently at Paik. “What the fuck is taking so long?!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“I-I’m sorry, Commander,” Paik stammered nervously. “I was just giving this young woman-”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Yeah, I’m sure I can guess what you were giving her,” the man snarled. “Give it to her on your own time.” Paik only nodded. “Oh wait,” the man continued. “You’re a virgin, aren’t you? Never mind. I’m sure she was fascinated by your conversa – hey it’s you!” His eyes flashed in recognition as he took Katara in. Katara returned his stare coolly. “Thought you’d take me up on my offer, huh?” he leered, making no show of hiding his ogling as his eyes roamed her body.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Oh yes, definitely,” Katara replied, her voice once again dripping with sarcasm. “Nothing would turn me on more.” She turned back to Paik, resolving to ignore the commander from thereon out. She didn’t notice his scowl, but she could imagine it. She figured he was probably used to ogling each and every woman unfortunate enough to cross his path, and jeering when they shuffled uncomfortably. Well, Katara wasn’t going to be cowed by him. If he wanted to make her shuffle uncomfortably, it was going to take a lot more than vague allusions to a sexual encounter that would never happen in his dreams. Did he think he was being threatening? Katara almost wanted him to try – she would take great and genuine pleasure in beating him down.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was a man with undeserved power, and judging by his treatment of his subordinate, a man who was not above abusing said power to satisfy his desires. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>At the time, Katara couldn’t have known just how correct her instincts would turn out to be.</em>
</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>After the commander left, whom Katara later learned was called Gow, Paik had brought out the barracks’ own bounty book. Katara hadn’t asked him to, but Paik had correctly reasoned she may be interested. And she had been.</p>
<p>Ironically, Ganhan’s seclusion made it a bit of a hotspot for bandits and petty criminals. Katara realised then that she had been incorrect to assume that there was rarely any traffic that passed through the region. She hadn’t encountered any travellers save for her bounty en route to Ganhan, but then again she had come from a Fire Nation-occupied town. The refugees probably knew to avoid that direction. There were rarely bounties for crimes as serious as rape, like the first one, but a bounty was a bounty. Ganhan was situated just on the fringes of the Si Wong Desert, and was almost a staple waystation for refugees and travellers to restock. No-one never stayed in Ganhan though, except for Katara, because Gow liked to extend his bullying to any who dared pass through. He liked to claim it was because there were so many bandits it was impossible to know who to trust. But Katara, and most of Gow’s subordinates, knew it was just a pig-bullshit excuse.</p>
<p>Ganhan didn’t receive visitors every day, but there were enough travellers in the area to lure in those with criminal intentions. And for each bounty Katara seemed to collect, another lowlife would take their place. She often found herself wondering just where they were coming from. Was there a mine that choked a new one out each time they were taken out? Although she knew it couldn’t possibly be true, the thought still amused her.</p>
<p>They weren’t often challenging, but it was enough to keep Katara occupied. And enough to keep her in Ganhan, at least for the time being. It wasn’t the life she had expected, but it was the life she was living.</p>
<p>And for now, Katara was satisfied.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you so much to everyone who commented! I really love reading them, and I'm glad that you're enjoying the story! My old writing style was kind of 'make it up as I go along', which don't get me wrong I have definitely done for some of these storylines, but it is also roughly planned out to the very end. And then some.</p>
<p>I should probably say that I am taking some liberties with the timeline here, other than the fact that the characters have all been aged-up. It's never explicitly said in the canon how much time elapses between episodes, but the 4-5 weeks Katara has spent in Ganhan take place roughly in line with 'Avatar Day' and 'The Blind Bandit'. My excuse is that the Earth Kingdom is HUGE and takes a while to navigate, even on Appa.</p>
<p>The segment with the Fire Nation soldiers was heavily inspired by a scene from 'Game of Thrones', where Arya comes across a group of Lannister soldiers (I think it's season 7). That scene always stuck with me because I think that's when Arya realised that those Lannister men were just as human as her, and I wanted Katara to have a similar revelation. Spoiler alert, but those soldiers will come into play again.</p>
<p>I am assuming most if not all of you will have figured out the significance of Ganhan... I named the village myself for this story. According to Google Translate, 'ganhan' is Mandarin for 'arid', which seems to be a fitting name.</p>
<p>I am running low on chapter reserves now, so Chapter 5 will be up next week.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Commander</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zuko arrives in Ganhan; Gow shows his cards; and Katara learns the disturbing truth about the criminal languishing in the cells.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Fair warning, this is the longest chapter yet, as well as the darkest yet. I was asked in one of the comments from 'Katara Alone' if it was time for Zuko Alone now. Yes, my dear, yes it is.</p>
<p>Also, I'm sure it's obvious, but any time the narrative refers to 'Raina', it's because that particular segment is told from the POV of someone who only knows Katara by her pseudonym.</p>
<p>Actual warning: references to rape/non-con, minor violence. Also, I don't think this requires a specific warning, but it does get very vulgar in parts.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Taking a deep breath, Zuko stepped back into the clearing that lay just in front of the mouth of the cave where he and his uncle had been seeking shelter for he wasn’t sure how long. A couple of weeks at least. A rather bountiful couple of weeks, thanks to the antics of the Blue Spirit. Iroh was bent over a pack, rifling through their supplies. Probably trying to find a particular blend of tea, knowing him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Uncle,” Zuko called announcing his presence. “I thought a lot about what you said.” And Zuko had reached a decision. A decision that he knew would hurt his uncle, at first, but one that was ultimately best for both of them. At his words, Iroh straightened up and turned to face him, his face breaking out into a smile. Zuko felt a stab of guilt in his heart, but he was determined to persevere with his plan.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You did? Good, good,” Iroh replied cheerfully.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Zuko nodded, trying to keep his expression neutral. He didn’t want his uncle to see how much this was twisting him up inside. “It’s helped me realise something. We no longer have anything to gain by travelling together.” His uncle looked crestfallen at his words, but Zuko continued, “I need to find my own way.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Or more truthfully, Zuko had decided he needed to let Iroh find his own way. Without having to worry about the burden that Zuko knew he was.</em>
</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>Even though his uncle had thrown him one last, undeserved shred of kindness even as he’d turned his back on him and given Zuko the ostrich-horse to accompany him, Zuko didn’t think he had ever faced such hardship in his life. Or such hunger. He had thought life was difficult aboard the ship. Zuko wanted to go back in time and give his younger self a swift kick for not appreciating what he’d had when he had it. But it was too late now. It was always too late. He had been too late to apprehend the Avatar on an embarrassing number of occasions. Too late to realise Azula had once again played him and lied to him. Too late to hold his tongue in that war room…</p>
<p>No, he wouldn’t think about that. All it brought was painful memories and more misery. And Zuko had enough of that going around already.</p>
<p>After a second near-miss on a rickety wooden bridge, in which both Zuko and his ostrich-horse almost went plummeting to certain death in the swirling rapids below, Zuko decided it was perhaps time to take a break from riding today. He had no doubt the beast must be exhausted, for Zuko had barely stopped in the weeks that had followed since leaving his uncle behind. He rode the poor creature hard pretty much all day every day, stopping only to catch some rest for a few hours before sunrise when the endless cycle began anew. It wasn’t anywhere near approaching sunset, but the heat was relentless. And at least Zuko was near a source of water. He had been running dangerously low over the last couple of days, and was down to his last few swigs in his canteen. It certainly didn’t help his case that he felt obliged to share what little he did have with his ostrich-horse.</p>
<p>He sometimes considered it would be easier to just continue on foot, only have to look out for himself, and let the creature finds its way back home. But then it flickered in his mind that this ostrich-horse was an innocent, domesticated animal that he had shamelessly stolen from an innocent family. There was no chance the creature could find its way back now, realistically. There was almost equally no chance that it would survive if he just let it go. Domesticated animals didn’t fare well in the wild. The creature was used to having all its needs catered to and Zuko couldn’t bring himself to condemn the animal to death for his own selfish reasons.</p>
<p>He tied the ostrich-horse to a tree and began carefully trekking down the steep sides of the riverbank. The slope was too steep for the ostrich-horse so Zuko knew he would have to make multiple trips to ensure the animal got its own fill of water. One thing he had observed was that although they could go a long time without water, longer than he had expected, when they did drink, they were <em>thirsty</em>. It occurred to him that he should also take the opportunity to bathe.</p>
<p>Once that was all done, and he had slaked his own thirst, Zuko settled down against a tree, pulling his hat over his face. The tree was large enough to provide shade to both ostrich-horse and rider, but Zuko thought he may as well try and catch some sleep now and ride through the night instead. The climate really was becoming unbearable at times. It had been a long time since Zuko had been acclimatised to such heat. Just over five years, in fact. “Great job,” he mumbled to himself, because with that thought, he was once again transported to that day. The worst day of his life. A day etched in his memory as well as on his face, permanently marked by the shame and dishonour that had got him here.</p>
<p>Zuko became dimly aware of someone passing him on the road just a few feet from his position as the ostrich-horse beside him fussed quietly, and reared its head in interest.</p>
<p>“Please,” he heard someone say desperately. “I’ve been walking all day! Just let me have a break!”</p>
<p>“No!” a sharp voice retorted. The voice sounded vaguely familiar but Zuko didn’t dwell on it. “We’re less than an hour away now. I’m not stopping just so you can try and escape again!” Zuko wondered if he had the energy to take a peek himself. As it turned out, he really didn’t. He hadn’t eaten more than a few nuts and seeds in days. Fortunately the ostrich-horse seemed content to munch on grass for most of the time, but he knew that that wasn’t what the animal was used to. He still had a small amount of money. Hopefully enough for a bag of feed and a hot meal for himself. If he ever found a town, that was, which was seemingly less and less likely as the days in the plains went past.</p>
<p>He dipped his head back down, sinking his chin into his chest. His stomach was hard enough to ignore as it was without expending more energy uselessly. Whoever those wayfarers were, it wasn’t his business, and as he heard their steps fade in the distance, he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>“I’m pretty sure you’re going to bankrupt us if you keep this up!” Paik joked as he handed over yet another pouch of silver to Raina.</p>
<p>“Interesting. Do debtors get bounties put on them?” Raina queried innocently as she counted the coins. It didn’t matter how many bounties she claimed, and it didn’t matter that each time it was Paik who was as honest as they came, she counted them without fail. She smirked at the look of confusion on Paik’s face.</p>
<p>“I – I don’t understand.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it,” Raina replied, not unkindly. Simple, simple Paik. It really wasn’t worth the effort of explaining.</p>
<p>“Will I…see you tonight?” Raina raised her eyebrows.</p>
<p>“Are you coming to the tavern tonight?”</p>
<p>“Of course. I’m not on duty.”</p>
<p>“Then I imagine you will…unless you stare directly into the sun first. You might have a hard time seeing me after that.” Dark though her humour was, Paik couldn’t help but chuckle at her. He and Raina had been intimate for a few weeks now and that tough, don’t-give-a-damn mask of hers was proving to be the most difficult thing to get her to slip off. It wasn’t that she never smiled or laughed or told jokes – she could banter with his comrades better than he could – but he couldn’t help but feel he had yet to uncover the <em>real </em>Raina. The Raina that, for whatever reason, she didn’t show anyone. The only time he felt he had even come close was when they made love. The primal panting, lustful gasps and moans of pleasure as he plunged deep inside her was the only time Raina ever seemed to become even remotely vulnerable. Paik had taken it on as a personal challenge to expose her to the light, and show her it was perfectly okay to be vulnerable. He would be there to support her. He understood that in her profession, a certain façade was needed in order to be taken seriously, especially at her age. Paik himself had been guilty of not taking her seriously when she had arrived with Hong. But she didn’t need that façade with him. He would like her anyway. She was stunningly beautiful, quite unlike anyone he had ever met, and truthfully, her dark skin stuck out against the relative pallor of himself and the villagers. But that just made her all the more alluring. She could have had her pick of anyone in Ganhan (not that there were many prospects – most men of a suitable age had been shipped off to war) and yet she chose to sleep with <em>him</em>. A fact that really seemed to rile his commander at times. He told himself that perhaps Commander Gow was just sour that he could no longer make ‘virgin’ jibes at the younger man. Paik hadn’t been a virgin before he’d met Raina, but Raina had been his first since arriving to his new posting in Ganhan.</p>
<p>As soon as she finished counting, Raina made to take her leave, before Paik suddenly remembered something he’d promised to ask her. “Oh, Raina?” She turned and watched him expectantly. “This is…gonna sound a little weird,” he began, feeling strangely apprehensive. Raina merely cocked her head to the side, and gestured impatiently for him to continue. “Do you remember Hong?”</p>
<p>“Who?”</p>
<p>“You know, Hong? The bounty you first brought in?”</p>
<p>“Oh, the rapist? What about him?” Despite himself, Paik winced. She said it so casually. Perhaps she didn’t know that the merchant’s daughter had been about her age… At his expression, she sighed. “I remember deeds, not names. What were you going to ask me, lover?” she smirked, as if to prove her point. Paik did understand this time and laughed. He liked that she regarded him as her lover. When she got bored or was just in a foul mood for some reason, she barely gave him or anyone else the time of day. But even on bad days like that, she usually allowed him to take her to bed, when he wasn’t on duty. Well, sometimes when he wasn’t on duty. There had been one particularly raunchy evening when- “Paik!” Raina snapped him back to reality. “What is it?”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” he muttered. “Uh, anyway, Hong has requested to speak with you. Before the magistrate gets here from Gaoling next week.” Raina furrowed her brows.</p>
<p>“Why?” she asked incredulously.</p>
<p>“He didn’t say,” Paik shook his head. “You don’t have to, of course. But I said I’d ask. He’d be behind bars the entire time!”</p>
<p>“Yeah I’m not afraid of that quarter-sack of rice,” Raina replied breezily.</p>
<p>“Yeah. I bet even if <em>you </em>were the one chained up, he’d be the one in danger!” Paik chuckled. Raina couldn’t help but agree with him.</p>
<p>“Right,” was all she ended up saying, smiling lightly. Flattery wouldn’t get him far, she was perfectly aware of her own capabilities. As enlightened as his attitude towards women was, comparatively speaking anyway, she was keenly aware that most if not all of the ‘compliments’ he liked to give her were just his way of ensuring he would get to lie with her that night. But so long as he kept up his end of the deal, that suited her fine. He didn’t need to know she had already made up her mind about that before even clapping eyes on him of an evening.</p>
<p>“So…will you?” he asked.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” she shrugged. “We’ll see.”</p>
<p>“Absolutely. Completely your decision,” he reassured her.</p>
<p>“I know,” Raina said obviously.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>Gow grinned greedily as he took up his winnings. The dice were really working in his favour today, and he sniggered as his underlings groaned in frustration.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna be out soon, Commander!” one of them, Corporal Metan, complained.</p>
<p>“Shouldn’t have spent it all in the tavern last night,” another retorted, Lieutenant Xoh, retorted.</p>
<p>“I’ll have you know one of those ladies was giving me the eye last night! I couldn’t cheap out,” Metan protested.</p>
<p>“No but you sure struck out, didn’t you?” Gow chuckled.  “Look, just play one more round. Don’t leave us in the lurch.”</p>
<p>“I’m really not sure I can, Commander,” Metan lamented. With each successive roll of the dice, the stakes had only gotten higher. If Metan bought into this round, and didn’t win, he would be left copperless.</p>
<p>“Play one more round, and that’s a direct order.” Metan sighed, and reluctantly tossed his last three silver pieces into the centre of their makeshift table, an upended crate they had received as a ‘donation’ from a wandering cabbage merchant on his way to Ba Sing Se. He had looked almost heartbroken to part with them. The soldiers had all found it quite amusing, the way he practically cradled the produce before reluctantly handing the crate over. Gow had then promptly thanked him for his contribution and ensured he went on his way. They didn’t like strangers in Ganhan. And so far, only Paik’s little whore had managed to slip through the net. “You’re a braver man than I am, Corporal!” Gow said to him smugly as Metan deposited the coins. “Are you sure you want to waste your last coins on this? You’ve been on a losing streak all day.”</p>
<p>Metan pursed his lips. “Yes, Commander,” he replied quietly. He exchanged a quick look with Xoh, but both silently agreed to just let the commander have his fun. It shouldn’t be <em>too </em>long before the next caravan transporting their wages came up from Gaoling. They had received word that the magistrate coming to conduct Hong’s trial had departed for Ganhan a few days ago, and it was more than likely he would accompany the caravan. Besides, it had only been a couple of hours ago that Gow had bumped into Raina, and their commander was usually left in a downright foul and bullying mood after run-ins with Raina.</p>
<p>“Tell you what, because I’m such a good sport, I’ll let you roll this time,” Gow offered, smirking. Their bets placed, he proffered the dice to Metan, who took them and blew on them before shaking them vigorously in his fist.</p>
<p>“Come on, spider-snake eyes!” Metan said almost pleadingly, and dropped the dice, his stomach twisting. And then his face broke out into a bright grin and he cheered loudly. “Come to the corporal!” he jeered loudly as he claimed his winnings. Gow and Xoh shook their heads at him in amusement, chuckling, before they were disturbed by the sound of an ostrich-horse trotting up the street. Astride the creature was a very sullen, angry-looking young man with a large, viciously red scar covering the left side of his face. Gow turned to face him and shot him a menacing glare, and to his chagrin the rider only had the gall to glare back at him before moving towards the nearest merchant stall.</p>
<p>“What do you want to do, Commander?” Xoh asked him quietly. Metan didn’t even seem to have noticed, too busy basking in his win.</p>
<p>“Let’s just see what he does,” Gow murmured in response. He thought for certain he saw the stranger stiffen at the stall, as if he knew he was being watched even though his back was turned to them. ‘Good,’ Gow thought. ‘Know your place, and it isn’t here.’ He turned briefly back to his underlings, about to demand another few rounds now that Metan was back in the money. Ordinarily, Paik would have been joining in the gambling, but he had continually strived to be allocated to Jail Duty for the last month or so. A desperate attempt to sneak in a few quick ones with that whore of his, no doubt.</p>
<p>“Ow!” Xoh exclaimed, and shaking himself with disgust as a cracked egg dripped down his chin. Fragments of the shell were still in his hair, and he turned to glare at the stranger, who had his back to them. Gow stood up and marched angrily over to the stall.</p>
<p>“Hey!” he shouted. “You throwing eggs at us, stranger?!”</p>
<p>“No,” came the sullen reply. He didn’t even have the manners to turn and face him! Metan and Xoh stood as well and followed their commander to the stall, affixing glares of their own.</p>
<p>“You see who did throw it?” Gow demanded.</p>
<p>“No.”</p>
<p>“That your favourite word? No?” Xoh challenged.</p>
<p>“Egg had to come from somewhere,” Gow said.</p>
<p>“Maybe a chicken flew over,” the stranger replied drily. Unable to help himself, Metan broke out into soft laughter, but was quickly silenced when Gow turned his menacing glare onto him. When he turned back, he noticed that the merchant had just returned from his store with two bags of feed for the stranger. Gow refused to be insulted like this, and marched over and yanked the bags for himself directly from the merchant’s hands.</p>
<p>“Thank you for your contribution,” he said to the stranger with a smug grin. “The army appreciates your support!” He threw the bags at Metan, who only just managed to catch them without falling over. They were heavier than they looked. Gow turned back to the stranger, who by now was glaring at him. Oh, he was one of those was he? Honestly thought he could take on an army commander? “You better leave town,” he said threateningly. “Penalty for staying’s a lot steeper than you can afford, stranger.” With that, he returned to his underlings and ordered them back to the barracks, and grinning smugly. He could safely say he had won that round.</p>
<p>No, Gow really didn’t like strangers, as all his men and the rest of the village were well aware. And he especially didn’t like the look of that one. Gow had a tendency to immediately dislike anyone who wasn’t immediately intimidated by him. Although his men never breathed a word of it around him, it was the same reason Gow harboured a deep-seated loathing for Raina.</p>
<p>Gow’s first encounter with her had been during one of his routine appointments in an alleyway a few buildings down from the tavern. He had taken no issue to her watching – loose women would be loose women after all. But like the stranger from just now, she had merely glared at him, cursed at him, and walked away as if he wasn’t worth her time anymore. It showed a complete and utter lack of respect, and Gow had been determined to make sure to instil that respect into her the next time he saw her. If he ever did. It had been a rather unnerving surprise to find her calmly talking with Paik the next morning, holding him up from his duties. And then she had disrespected him again – twice. Every time he ran into her after that, no matter what Gow did or said, the bitch either seemed to have a witty retort to throw back at him or the bitch merely strode away, and ignored him completely. She didn’t defer to him when she joined them in the tavern, and on the rare occasion she did react to his increasingly provocative comments, it was with some biting riposte that his men couldn’t seem to help but snigger at.</p>
<p>His loathing of her had only grown when Paik had proudly let slip that he was most definitely <em>not </em>a virgin (but was careful to add that he hadn’t been anyway) and anyone was welcome to ask the bounty hunter to confirm his story. He had been in his cups at the time, and so gleeful about having fucked someone that it only convinced Gow that Paik must have been desperate for a woman to notice him before that whore had come crawling into Ganhan. And Gow was certain she was a whore, or at best, a woman of loose morals. She was clearly foreign, for one, and it was well-known amongst Gow’s circle that exotic things like her travelling unescorted and unmarried were either whores by trade or whores by practice as they desperately trawled for any good Earth Kingdom man naïve enough to take her for his wife. The bounty hunter persona was a good cover, he had to admit, but he knew that she was just after what all exotic things like her were after. There also had to be a reason such exotic beauties failed to make matches in their home territory, Gow knew.</p>
<p>He was all for a bit of fun, and his shouted offer to arrange to fuck her had been sincere. Whore or no, someone as young as her was an admirable conquest, and the thought of her naked and exposing herself had occupied his fantasies many times when he had been polishing his sword in his private bunk. How Gow chose to avail himself of her nakedness changed with each fantasy, but each time he imagined her crying out in the wild pleasure she couldn’t help but experience as he thrust into her again and again.</p>
<p>He had been quietly furious when Paik had announced that he had fucked her. Furious with her for overlooking him, and furious with the greenleaf for rubbing it in. It only added insult to injury that Gow had been overlooked for a soldier as lowly as <em>Paik</em>. He was the lowest-ranking soldier in their barracks, a glorified errand-boy. And then when he learned that Paik and his whore continued to frequently lie together, Gow had decided to usher in a gentle reminder to Paik that that wasn’t how things were done in his barracks. He had informed the quivering young man in no uncertain terms that unless he intended to share her, which Gow positively encouraged and felt gleefully satisfied watching the greenleaf pale at the suggestion, he would be best to stop flaunting his conquest in their faces. It wasn’t good for morale.</p>
<p>Gow hadn’t attempted to woo her himself…yet. He was adamant about one day enjoying her for himself, but he knew he would have to be smarter about it. But the bitch avoided him. He noted with annoyance that she had been careful to ensure that he never found her alone unless it was in the main thoroughfare in broad daylight. Too afraid of what she knew he could do to her, he reckoned. But Gow didn’t wish to confront her then with so many onlookers. The villagers seemed largely indifferent to her presence, except for the innkeeper because her room rental and propping up the bar most nights were probably helping keep him afloat, but he was aware that most of his men seemed to have taken a shine to her. Who knew if they would irrationally rise up against him and leap to the bitch’s defence if it didn’t go the way Gow wanted?</p>
<p>Though he would never admit it even to himself, Raina had become an obsession for Gow. For as vulgar as his comments were, the kind that would make any decent, honourable woman blush or squirm uncomfortably, she just didn’t seem to be intimidated by him. And it made Gow’s blood boil. It was only a matter of time before Gow snapped and <em>beat </em>the respect into her if that’s what it came to, he knew. Gow had already resolved that when that day came, he would refrain from using earthbending, no matter how tempting that might be. He didn’t want to seriously injure her, just cause enough pain to make her think twice the next time she planned on disrespecting him.</p>
<p>To make himself feel better, there were times during his appointments that he imagined it was <em>her </em>huddled on her knees, stretching her mouth over his member, and swallowing his seed when he had had his pleasure of her. It was one of the most demeaning things a woman could do, as far as Gow was concerned. Which only made his pleasure more intense. Only whores and women with loose morals lowered themselves to that, and Gow had no trouble imagining the little bitch had found herself in that position at least a few times in her life. She probably enjoyed it. Or maybe she didn’t. Gow wasn’t sure which scenario he found more alluring.</p>
<p>The bitch wasn’t as clever as she thought, though. He <em>would </em>have her. She <em>would </em>see his way of things. He had been patient so far, but enough was enough. It had been a month. Perhaps it was time to try a different tactic. Break out the charm a little. She was a woman. She wouldn’t be able to help herself if he <em>really </em>put the effort in. Gow preferred to be recognised for his prowess and status than false words, but he was willing to let that be by the by. Most women that had had the pleasure of lying with him had been intimidated at first, but quickly warmed up when they realised how skilled he could be. Perhaps it would be a refreshing change, conquering a woman as insolent as Raina. Perhaps he could teach her a thing or two.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>When Katara joined the soldiers in the tavern that evening from her room, with Paik not at all subtly following just behind her, the pair found themselves in the throes of a loud and raging debate. Once Paik offered to fetch drinks for himself and Katara, it transpired that Metan – who had struck out horrendously for the last couple of nights – was once again attempting to woo a certain lady. At this stage, though, it was more about salvaging his pride and nursing his ego against the bruising banter that his comrades could be counted on to throw at him if he came back empty-handed. Katara found herself thinking that if Metan longed for the touch of a woman so badly, why didn’t he just speak to his commander? Gow clearly had access to a prostitute, although in all the weeks Katara had been in Ganhan, she had never once encountered the faceless woman who had been pleasuring him on Katara’s first night here. She supposed the woman’s anonymity probably only boosted her business. For all she knew, it could have been one of the wives who had been left behind after their husbands and sons went to war. Katara couldn’t imagine without wrinkling her nose in disgust having to service a man like Gow, but more power to the woman if it kept a roof over her head and food on the table.</p>
<p>Katara then noticed the large pile of coins that sat untouched in the centre of their table. “Are you making bets?” she asked. Xoh, ostensibly Metan’s closest friend but in practice that just meant they spent most of their time hurling insults at each other in a uniquely masculine form of solidarity, looked up at her, an expression of shock on his face.</p>
<p>“Raina!” he admonished her. “How could you suggest that we would <em>ever </em>start a pool on just how much one of our own is going to humiliate himself? That wouldn't be very sporting.” The smirk on his face told Katara that was indeed exactly what they were doing. The badly-concealed chuckles from the rest of the company did nothing to help his case. Katara smirked in tandem.</p>
<p>“I want in,” she declared, to the approval of the rest of the table. As she deposited her wager into the pool, Xoh explained that they were taking bets on how long Metan would attempt to woo the lucky lady until he either gave up, ran out of money (as had happened the previous two nights) or, inexplicably, fortune favoured him that night.</p>
<p>“Oh, is Fortune the prostitute?” Katara quipped innocently. By now, Paik had joined their table and was the first to laugh, before the others seemed to catch up and join in.</p>
<p>“That’s gold!” Xoh cried out. “I’m sorry, Raina, but I’m going to have to borrow that one from you.”</p>
<p>“Just make sure you wash it before you bring it back,” she replied, to more chuckles.</p>
<p>And so the evening passed. Katara found the soldiers to be unobjectionable, if not at times genuinely decent, company. They certainly didn’t disappoint as drinking buddies. There wasn’t a pool going on every night, but there was always laughter, many drinks, and once most of the company had staggered back to the barracks for the night, that was usually Katara’s cue to retreat to her quarters. Often with Paik in tow. He could be good company, too, in his way. Especially when they were alone. It depended on what mood Katara was in.</p>
<p>It was usually only a matter of time before the commander joined them in the tavern, and tonight was no exception. He made equally quick work of placing his wager for the night, loudly declaring that he didn’t think Metan would have any luck that night. The group took turns going up to the bar to ‘replenish their drinks’ before reporting back all they had spied. Metan <em>had </em>to know it was going on, but he didn’t seem the least bit bothered by it. It was just a part of the camaraderie they all shared – Metan himself had been known to place outrageous bets, especially when Xoh was the one trying his luck. Katara had marvelled at how they hadn’t run out of unmarried women yet in a village of this size, before remembering that many of the women here were war wives, if not outright widows. Perhaps they liked to play away from home, too, so to speak. She wondered if they had run a pool when she and Paik had encountered each other in the tavern for the first time. It certainly didn’t bother her if they had. Having become the unofficial village bounty hunter, the men mostly saw her as more than just a conquest and “Raina” had been fairly easily accepted into their little club. She had noted with interest that none of the men she drank with on a regular basis seemed to respect her less for being an unmarried woman unflinchingly lying with Paik. None except the commander, that was. Katara had no idea what his problem was with her, nor did she care, but it was fun to rile him up at times.</p>
<p>As the night wore on, it was clear Metan was beginning to flounder. The woman he was speaking to didn’t expect him to pay for her drinks, but Metan was struggling to keep up with her pace, and he was once again running dangerously low on funds. Paik had gleaned this from their conversation when it was his turn to go up to the bar. Katara sighed at this. She had wagered on Metan’s success, one of the few who had. It didn’t really matter to her, it was only four pieces of silver, but it was honestly becoming a bit pitiable. She was surprised he hadn’t fallen off his stool yet, the way he was swaying. She shook her head. Some people just couldn’t hold their liquor.</p>
<p>“Oh, I heard someone new rode up into town today,” she heard Paik say to the group beside her, pulling her out of her reverie.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah,” Xoh remarked. “Angry, angry young man. Bastard threw an egg at me, would you believe?!” There were sniggers all around the table. “He says he didn’t,” Xoh huffed. “But I knew he was full of shit. That egg had to come from somewhere, right?”</p>
<p>“Are you sure a chicken didn’t fly over?” Katara commented drily, smirking. Xoh looked at her in surprise.</p>
<p>“That’s exactly what he said!” Xoh burst out in disbelief, but he was grinning.</p>
<p>“No way!” Katara laughed, and she was quickly joined by the others. Except for Gow, who had his arms folded across his chest and remained stony-faced throughout the exchange. “What did you do?”</p>
<p>“Well, the commander here had my back,” Xoh replied almost proudly, clapping his superior office on the shoulder. Gow curled his lips into a smile, but remained stiff.</p>
<p>“He looked like trouble,” Gow muttered. “I had to put him in his place.”</p>
<p>“You think everyone who comes here looks like trouble,” one of the other officers joked. Even Gow uttered a snort of amusement at that.</p>
<p>“To be fair, he’s not wrong,” Paik countered, grinning at his lover. “Look at Raina!” The resulting jeers were loud and a telltale sign of just how inebriated they all were. Deciding to play along, Katara adopted a mock-hurt expression in response.</p>
<p>“That <em>cuts</em>, Paik,” she gasped over-dramatically.</p>
<p>“You’re a bounty hunter,” Paik argued. “You bring trouble with you every time you come back!” More than in her cups herself, Katara couldn’t help but chuckle with the others. That had been remarkably astute for Paik. She found herself impressed that he had come up with it by himself. Not as impressed as she was with herself, though. Tonight, in particular, she felt she was doing a pretty good job of appearing normal. As normal as she could in any event. She had gotten used to them, she supposed, after weeks of watching and listening. It helped that the soldiers’ sense of humour seemed to be largely aligned with her own, and most of their evenings were spent drinking merrily and trading insults during which, as an outsider, it was perfectly acceptable for Katara to remain silent and simply observe their interactions.</p>
<p>All in all, these evenings were excellent opportunities for Katara to practice ‘blending in’, even though at times her dry comments were genuine and not part of the act, and she was oddly affected to discover that even these sometimes managed to evoke amusement. It was one of the first lessons Katara had learnt about how to interact with people – she could say pretty much anything she wanted, no matter how outlandish, mean or downright dark, as long as she played it off as a joke. The ensuing laughter was at times uncomfortable, but nobody had ever questioned her intentions. They seemed to want to believe that Katara was ‘like them’, if a bit quirky, almost as much as she wanted them to believe it. Of course, if she had wanted to appear truly unremarkable, she wouldn’t have made such a point of being taken seriously for her strength and independence. But the boredom from playing the typical role of women in the Earth Kingdom would have been crushing.</p>
<p>As things were, her role made her merely an outlier, a curiosity, an anomaly. It didn’t seem to leave a lasting impression on anyone that she wasn’t like them. That she was someone to be feared, not for her feats but for the way her mind worked. That she was someone too different and difficult to accept. That she was someone who needed to be hunted and killed for everyone’s “safety”. Huu had warned her all those weeks ago in the swamp that had happened to people like her before. She had resolved early on since leaving her brother and the Avatar that the life of a hermit wasn’t for her, regardless of society’s attitude towards her kind. It was why she continued to make such an effort to blend, even as Raina, as long as she was in Ganhan. As much as she relished situations of genuine danger, she wasn’t convinced that being chased by an angry lynch mob unprovoked would fall within that category, even if she managed to escape or beat them. Certainly, the thought didn’t excite her. Honestly, when she did consider it, her recurring opinion was of just how much of a nuisance it would be. But then, she wouldn't have the same investment in such a fight. It wouldn't be the same.</p>
<p>Katara wouldn’t keep it up forever, though, she already knew that. She was beginning to tire of the monotony of life in Ganhan, even though she was taken away by her business several days a week. Some of her hunts took her away for nights at a time, and she always returned willingly after depositing the bounty at the nearest Earth Kingdom barracks, if the bounty allowed for that. But there just wasn’t enough here to stimulate her or make it worth staying on a more permanent basis.</p>
<p>She did like not having to camp all the time though. There was something to be said for finding somewhere she could base herself, and flit away where the work took her as and when. It was certainly a much more comfortable lifestyle, one to which Katara was becoming accustomed. She reasoned she would simply break out her map and pick somewhere else to try. Somewhere bigger this time. Somewhere with more prospects…in every sense of the word.</p>
<p>After Xoh had had a few too many (as they all had) he thought he’d spotted the devious egg-throwing stranger dare to show his face in the tavern. A minor tavern brawl broke out as Xoh drunkenly confronted the befuddled man (who they later learned had merely dozed off under the sun while it was at its apex, leaving his left cheek exposed), and Katara eagerly leapt in with Paik and the other remaining soldiers to pull the lieutenant off the other patron. Paik was then roped into helping escort Xoh back to the barracks with Metan, who had indeed struck out again, all the while throwing apologetic looks at Katara.</p>
<p>All in all, it had turned out to be a rather splendid evening. There had only been one other tavern brawl break out since Katara had arrived in Ganhan, that one instigated by a drunken Gow against a patron who apparently hadn’t shown him enough respect. That one had been more interesting and there had been more action for Katara to throw herself into – this one had been rather short-lived. All the same, Katara had found tonight’s brawl amusing. The only issue was that it meant she and the commander were the only two of their original party standing. For Katara, that meant the socialising and blending part of her evening was over, but she didn’t see why that meant she had to retire herself.</p>
<p>As Gow watched the last of his company stumble out of the tavern, he smirked to himself. This would be his perfect opportunity. There were still the other patrons, but that was okay. He only had to play his cards right. He had resolved earlier to simply be charming instead. He had probably expected too much of Raina to see that he was clearly the better prospect without showing her - she was a woman, after all. Women weren't as astute at picking up subtleties in behaviour.</p>
<p>Katara was about to return to the bar, when Gow placed a hand gently on her wrist and held her in place. She stared hardly at him, but to her confusion he only smiled widely at her. Even his eyes had softened.</p>
<p>“Would you like another ale?” he offered. Katara nodded mutely. Gow gestured for her to sit back down, and then went up to the bar himself. As she was watching him from the table, Katara narrowed her eyes. The commander was being oddly and uncharacteristically pleasant.</p>
<p>What was he up to?</p>
<p>“You know, Raina, I can’t help but feel we got off on the wrong foot,” Gow said conversationally as he returned with two fresh tankards for them.</p>
<p>“Really?” Katara replied in a tone of complete disinterest.</p>
<p>“Of course. I think I understand now.” Katara looked up at him.</p>
<p>‘This could be interesting,’ she thought with mild amusement. She knocked back a healthy swig from her tankard, and turned to face him. “I saw it in your eyes on that first night,” he said surprisingly gently. “You were jealous.” Katara’s placid expression betrayed nothing, and her only physical reaction was a drawn-out nod. Inside, her confusion had given way to a mirthless sense of satisfaction. Fortunately it wasn’t difficult to maintain her façade – she had had plenty of practice with these soldiers, after all. She didn’t see the harm in getting a bit more practice in. She hadn’t tested her limits yet, and the prospect was intriguing. It sounded very much like the commander was attempting to seduce her…and she was content to let it play out for a bit longer.</p>
<p>“Yes, definitely,” she agreed in a serious tone, widening her eyes. “I thought you’d never figure it out.” To Gow’s amazement, she shuffled closer. “Why do you think I’ve been giving you such a hard time?” Gow smirked arrogantly.</p>
<p>“I get it,” he told her. “But you don’t have to worry about that anymore. Be honest – do you even like that little greenleaf?”</p>
<p>‘Oh, so <em>he’s </em>the jealous one,’ she realised. Of Paik? For fucking her? Was that what his attitude had been about all this time? ‘What a small, petty man.’ Now thoroughly entertained, she decided to push further.</p>
<p>“You mean Paik?” Gow nodded. “Noooo…” she admitted, a coy smile gracing her features. “If I’m being honest, I like to imagine it’s you behind me…” Katara leant in even closer, and whispered in his ear, “…doing unspeakable things to me.” Gow felt the blood rush from his head and pool in his nether regions. Oh, she was a good little whore. All it had taken was a bit of sweet-talking, and the woman was clay in his hands. But Gow wasn’t surprised. Women were easy to manipulate like that. They weren’t smart enough, weren’t strong enough, to be able to resist a bit of charm. It was why the men were in charge. They had to be.</p>
<p>Gow resisted the urge to smirk in satisfaction. He was finally getting what he wanted, what he was owed, and he was ready to go right now. She had made him wait long enough. Once they were alone, he would make quick work of that cloak and her dress. He had never lain with a woman as exotic as this one. He knew she had a room upstairs, but no, that wouldn’t do. He would take her back to the barracks. And if any of the men, including Paik, happened to see, that was their problem.</p>
<p>She fluttered her pretty little lashes at him and bit her lower lip. Those wide eyes, that pert little mouth…and he could only imagine what lay underneath her clothes. He would claim each and every part of her. And she would love every second, squealing in ecstasy and calling out his name. That comment of hers about how she imagined it was him behind her had also settled something else in his mind. He wanted her bent over, ready to take him as he pleased. At least, for the first few times. “Come back to the barracks with me,” Gow almost growled as the hot anticipation flowed through his veins. Just the thought of it made his member throb. Maybe he would get her on her knees first. She had to understand that even if it had been jealousy, her disrespectful antics had been no way to treat a commander like him.</p>
<p>Gow stood and waited for Katara to do the same. And waited. “I said, come back to the barracks with me,” he repeated, growing impatient.</p>
<p>If Katara was being honest with herself, if Gow hadn’t been so damnably ugly, she may have even been tempted to take him up on his offer. Even though he used only his brutishness to intimidate, she couldn’t deny that the thought of fucking such a man who may in turn us that power against her was a deliciously exciting prospect. She had little to no respect for big brutes throwing their weight around, and so Gow, had he been attractive, would have been nothing more than one night of weakness. She had yet to encounter a man who possessed what she knew she <em>really </em>sought. That underlying menace that threatened, no <em>promised</em>, a dark and destructive power seething just beneath the surface, but a power they had perfect mastery of. A power they unleashed at will but only in the right moment. The kind of power that she knew would leave her quivering with excitement, in more ways than one.</p>
<p>Katara knew that if she ever <em>did </em>encounter such a man, she would be utterly helpless to resist. But Gow was not that man, and she decided this had played out far enough.</p>
<p>“No,” Katara replied, and stood to walk up to the bar. Gow followed her, his face looking thunderous. Upon noticing him, she snorted, and laughed. “I cannot believe you fell for that so hard. Can’t you tell when a woman is faking it?" She imagined Gow must have had plenty of experience with that, if she hadn't overestimated his visits with prostitutes. She snorted again, and called for the innkeeper, Oli, to replenish her tankard.</p>
<p>Fuming, Gow slammed his first on the bar in front of her. “You will do as I say,” he warned in a low voice. “You will respect me! You’re nothing but a common whore. You would be wise to start treating me like a friend because trust me, you don’t want me as your enemy.”</p>
<p>‘Hasn’t made any difference so far,’ she thought, but outwardly she only shrugged. The man really was a complete buffoon. And so entitled.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Gow leaned in and grabbed her roughly by the chin. He forced her head to turn and face him. “I bet you’re not even a good fuck,” he sneered. “You’re just tight! That’s all little bitches like you are good for.” He let her go and waited to see what she had to say to that. But she wasn’t about to give him any satisfaction. In any sense.</p>
<p>“Your greenleaf certainly seems to think so,” she smirked.</p>
<p>Gow was just about ready to strike her for her insolence, but at that moment Oli came up with a fresh tankard of ale for her. Gow forced a smile that was more of a grimace onto his face, but as soon as he disappeared again, he grabbed her by the hair and yanked hard. The smirk was wiped off her stupid smug face and her expression hardened, her eyes drilling into him like ice. “Get…off…me,” she warned.</p>
<p>“This is what happens when you don’t take me seriously,” he snarled, tugging her hair again and feeling immensely satisfied at the groan of discomfort. “I could make life very difficult for you, bitch.”</p>
<p>“Oh, you’re full of big words against a woman half your size,” she retorted. “So <em>brave </em>of you to take me on without your buddies to back you up.” This time, Gow did lose his temper. He loosened his grip on her hair and delivered a swift and brutal backhand to that smug face of hers.</p>
<p>The harsh crack as his hand made contact was gratifying; the shriek as she fell from the stool and tumbled to the floor even more so. She looked up at him, her expression suddenly fearful, and gasping in pain as she cradled her cheek. And were those tears? Good. Maybe she had learnt her lesson.</p>
<p>“Just because I won’t lie with you?!” she exclaimed loudly in a scared and shocked voice. She took in a sharp breath to stifle a sob, but couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down. Gow nodded in satisfaction at the sight. She’d had to learn. He would be as rough as he wanted, he decided, and he would remind her that she had only brought that treatment on herself.</p>
<p>But he hadn’t noticed that the entire tavern had fallen into complete silence, and that all eyes were now on him. A couple of the other patrons ran towards them and crouched down beside the young woman on the floor. She was openly crying and sobbing, even as they spoke softly to her, and gently helped her to stand. When they turned to Gow, their expressions – usually ones of fear or indifference in the hopes that they wouldn’t get noticed – were filled with disgust.</p>
<p>“Commander, I mean no disrespect, but you’re drunk!” Oli called to him. “I think you should leave.” Gow turned to him in indignation.</p>
<p>“You don’t get to make that call!” he rasped angrily.</p>
<p>“This is my establishment,” Oli replied firmly. “I won’t stop you from coming back, of course, but I think you’re done for the night.” Now that Gow looked around, he realised that the gazes of everyone in the tavern were fixed ardently on him. And the villagers didn’t look cowed like they usually did – they looked angry.</p>
<p>Deciding this wasn’t a battle worth fighting, Gow moved to stomp out of the tavern, making a mental note to ensure the innkeeper got charged <em>triple</em> for his transgressions, when he caught a glimpse of the bitch, with the other two patrons protectively shielding her lest he try and strike her again. But not enough so that Gow couldn’t see Katara’s face. And for just a fleeting instance, the fearful, doe-eyed mask dropped to reveal a triumphant smirk. It took all of Gow’s willpower not to lurch at her there and then. But he collected himself, and calmly left the tavern.</p>
<p>Soon afterwards, no longer needing to be fussed over for the sake of appearances, Katara took herself to bed, alone for once. Well that had certainly been an unexpected twist in the evening. She hadn’t been sure if he would actually strike her, though – that had come as somewhat of a shock. It had taken much of her own restraint not to unleash her own powers on him, but she had paid more attention to her surroundings. She had heard the deafening silence, felt the stares…and decided to play right into their sympathetic hands. Keeping the pretence up had taken a bit of effort, especially controlling her voice, but the tears had been real. Her eyes had stung strongly after she’d fallen to the floor, and it had simply been a case of allowing them to spill over. The hardest part really had been extricating herself from those same sympathetic stares after the commander had left without seeming entirely unfazed by what had just occurred. She wasn’t sure how convincing she had been, but now that she thought about it, she could just say she had been in shock. People acted strangely when they were in shock, it wasn’t unreasonable.</p>
<p>She was in two minds as to what to do about the bruise though. It had been a hard blow, and was sure to leave a mark on her cheek. On the one hand, she didn't care to sport such a mark when she could easily heal it, but on the other, she didn't want anyone getting suspicious. Katara hadn't revealed to anyone in Ganhan that she was a waterbender. She preferred the anonymity, and no-one seemed to pay enough attention to question how a seventeen-year-old was capable of taking down such a high number of bounties, so it had never come up.</p>
<p>She decided to heal it in the end. It was actually quite painful. If anyone asked, she would just tell them she had very convincing make-up. It would also explain, though again no-one had asked, how she always returned from her hunts without a scratch on her.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>
  <em>A few days later</em>
</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for the boredom to set in. As Katara made her way to the barracks in the low, late-afternoon sun, she knew it would soon be time to move on. A few days had passed since Katara had handed in her last bounty. She was growing restless, and it had soured her temperament significantly. Even drinking didn’t seem to take the edge off, and the nights in the tavern had lost their lustre. Being in company did nothing to lighten Katara’s mood – she already needed to be in a good mood to find being around other people to even be palatable, let alone enjoyable. Actually doing something interesting was the only thing that could get her out of that abyss. The last week had been very quiet, in terms of bounties. It seemed perhaps there <em>was </em>a limit to the number of bandits who would roam these parts. She wondered if she was responsible, that perhaps her reputation had preceded her. As flattering a thought as that was, it did nothing to help her current predicament. She thought about returning to the Fire Nation-occupied town. Surely a town of that size would have more opportunities. Incidentally, she had encountered Trei, Liu and Shinju again on a few of her longer missions. She wouldn’t say they were friends, but they had an unspoken agreement that if they came across each other’s camps of an evening, they would share fire, food and often laughter. Trei always seemed to have an endless supply of rum, Liu was slowly emerging from his shell and becoming more vocal (although sudden noises still made him flinch and give their position away), but Shinju remained as quiet and stoic as ever. It was what it was.</p>
<p>Since there was nothing else to do but drink (she had had her fill of wandering aimlessly), she had decided to take up Hong’s request for a conversation. She had absolutely no idea what the wimpish little man could possibly want with her, but she was bored enough that finding out actually seemed intriguing. She wasn’t afraid in the least, and that feeling of excitement that had replaced fear since the Spirit Oasis was also absent. This really was just something to do. She of course continued to carry her waterskin with her, as she always did, and in her pocket was a hipflask full of some non-descript, not entirely unpleasant spirit that Oli stocked, which he filled on request for a small fee. Occasionally, he ‘forgot’ to charge her with a conspiratorial wink. He had done that a lot over the last few days, by way of an apology for the incident with Gow. Katara was of no mind to fathom how Oli could possibly believe it had been his fault, but she also wasn’t going to pass up free liquor.</p>
<p>Oli, a rotund middle-aged man, was welcoming and friendly yet reserved, but could be equally tough and stern with patrons who took their merriments too far. He largely kept to himself when he wasn’t serving patrons, but that didn’t mean he didn’t hear all the whispers and rumours that passed between his customers. Most of it was frivolous or just plain nonsense, but he did make a habit of gossiping with his sole guest over breakfast. Katara was largely indifferent to the specifics, but took it as a positive sign and always listened patiently to his stories. Katara had noticed how his eyes lit up when he told her the latest tidbits he had heard from his customers, and he seemed to take great pleasure in sharing them. Katara couldn’t begrudge him for finding a smidge of joy amongst the dull monotony of life in Ganhan. She hadn’t observed him partaking in gossip with anyone else, certainly not in the evenings. There was a more open side he seemed willing to only share in the light of day – or perhaps it was only with Katara. At times, it almost appeared as though he were allowing himself a certain amount of vulnerability in her presence, but Katara couldn’t put her finger on why. She found herself strangely affected that he deemed “Raina” as trustworthy enough, and she had decided early on she wouldn’t take advantage of it. As a rule, Katara didn’t see the point of preying on vulnerabilities for the sake of it, and she accepted her role in Oli’s joy of sharing gossip without bitterness or even annoyance. To her surprise, she also found she actually liked Oli. She didn’t find him tiresome, as she tended to with almost everyone else. She presumed that had to indicate a level of fondness, no matter how basic.</p>
<p>Paik wasn’t on duty when she arrived at the jail, but the soldier had been notified that she may turn up to see their prisoner. Hong was the only one who continued to languish in the cells. Katara had wondered about that, as every time she arrived with a new bounty, the last one seemed to be nowhere in sight. Paik had explained to her that for relatively small crimes, like theft, the soldiers had the authority to mete out justice themselves. But for more serious offences, like rape, they had to call in the magistrate.</p>
<p>Despite being the one to make the request, Hong looked positively startled to see her.</p>
<p>“You came?” he squeaked in surprise as he took her in. She was wearing a light grey dress, in favour of the black cloak he usually spotted her in whenever she brought in her latest catch. Katara didn’t respond. “Can we…can we talk in private?” he asked quietly, looking over at the lingering soldier. Katara shrugged, and made a gesture for the soldier to leave them alone. He obeyed without hesitation. Katara wondered what he had heard. And who from.</p>
<p>As soon as he was out of earshot, Hong crawled up to the bars. He pointed behind him to a stool that was propped up against the wall opposite. Katara couldn’t see why not, and dragged it to the bars, taking a seat. “Th-thank you for coming,” he stuttered nervously.</p>
<p>“What do you want?”</p>
<p>“I...I wanted to make my confession. Before the magistrate gets here.” Katara frowned. What did that have to do with her?</p>
<p>“Why don’t you just confess to the magistrate?” she asked, genuinely curious. But Hong shook his head in response.</p>
<p>“I can’t,” he whispered. “He won’t be able to do anything.”</p>
<p>“And I can?” she asked sceptically. He sighed. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure. But she was the only person in the village that he felt he could tell. When he didn’t answer, Katara continued: “Out of interest, what is the sentence for rape?” Hong flinched at the term, but Katara ignored him. Seriously, how could he be so jumpy when he had perpetrated it? It was pathetic. “Let me guess,” she ventured, her voice taking on a mocking edge and she leaned forward. “It was a moment of weakness, and you deeply, deeply regret it and you want to take everything back.” Hong nodded.</p>
<p>“Yes. But it’s not what you think.” Katara leaned back.</p>
<p>“So enlighten me.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t do it,” Hong said desperately, clutching the bars, his eyes wide. Katara remained placid. “I didn’t do what they said I did. I didn’t rape that girl.”</p>
<p>“So why do they think you did?”</p>
<p>“I…the young lady who accused me, it wasn’t her fault. She had a choice to make, and she had to choose her family. Please…will you stay and listen?” he begged.</p>
<p>“I’m here, aren’t I?”</p>
<p>“Yes…yes. Thank you.” Hong took a deep breath. He knew he only had a matter of weeks, if not days, to live. He had tried to be brave, had tried to do the right thing. But he was weak. He hadn’t been able to do much of anything except land himself in the position he was in right now. But this woman, this slightly terrifying woman before him, was strong. She could do something. She could make it right. It was too late for him, but she might be able to put a stop to it. He just knew she could. “What’s your name?” he asked her suddenly.</p>
<p>“Raina.”</p>
<p>“That’s a nice name,” he mused. It wasn’t Earth Kingdom, he knew. But then again, neither was she.</p>
<p>“I’m getting bored now,” she muttered.</p>
<p>“Of course, sorry for taking up your time,” he apologised sincerely. He took another deep breath and looked up at her. Her face was completely still even as she fixed him with a hard stare. But he also realised there was no loathing or disgust in her expression. It was oddly disconcerting. He had gotten used to such looks over the last few months. But this woman, Raina, looked completely indifferent. He had noticed that about her whenever she came in. It was what had made him so certain she was the right person to tell. Or at least, the best person under the circumstances.</p>
<p>“The girl who accused me is the daughter of a grain merchant,” Hong explained, his voice shaking slightly. “She’s not someone I really knew, I just knew of her from living in the same village. I think she’s younger than you, actually. Not that I can say how old you are, I just-”</p>
<p>“I’m seventeen.” Hong nodded, almost impressed. Before he realised just what this seventeen year old must have lived through to turn to this life. Then he just felt sad for her. But <em>she</em> didn’t seem to be sad about her lot in life. If anything, she seemed to enjoy it. He often saw her smile when she handed her bounties over, especially when she reported how they had struggled and attempted to fight back.</p>
<p>“Well this young lady, Ave is her name, she doesn’t really come into play until later,” Hong told her.</p>
<p>‘Why bring her up first then?’ Katara thought.</p>
<p>“It started a few months ago,” Hong said softly. “I – I was drunk. Very drunk, I won’t lie about that. You’ll…you’ll have to forgive me for being so crass, but I was on my way home – I have a small farm just outside the village, you see – and I stopped to, uh, you know…relieve myself…” he muttered with embarrassment. Katara couldn’t help but wonder just how exactly Hong had “relieved himself” in public for him to be sound so mortified, but didn’t bother to query it. “And I heard someone – now it was quiet and I was drunk, but I have sharp ears, you see…”</p>
<p>Hong’s story went on like that. He eventually explained, between useless minutiae and tripping over his words, that he had heard someone be thanked for their “service to the Fire Nation” and how the commander had emerged shortly afterwards. Katara raised her eyebrows at this, but before she could interject, Hong hastily told her that he had succumbed to cowardice, and virtually tripped over himself to scramble away. “I was worried about being spotted, you see,” Hong added. “Them taxes are more than we can afford already, and-”</p>
<p>“Get to the point,” Katara groaned. She was beginning to regret this. So Gow had a contact in the Fire Nation. Big deal. Technically so did Katara. Not that anything amounted from it save for occasional evenings of laughter and copious amounts of rum that Trei always managed to smuggle on their patrols. But so far Hong hadn’t told her anything worth really paying attention to.</p>
<p>Hong explained that he had tried to let it be. “I knew I was drunk, and I thought I must not have got it right. But then a month later, I was on my way into the village this time. I walked behind someone I didn’t recognise, but I just figured him for a traveller. Couldn’t see their face, you see. They had this big cloak, and I dunno, something about him just gave me the creeps. Then he just wandered off down an alley. I didn’t know why, of course, but I figured if he was any trouble, the guards’d sort him so I didn’t think much of it. I was only going to the tavern myself, you see. It had been a long day, and-” He heard her sigh again and realised he was rambling. “Anyway, the commander crashed into me. He told me to watch myself and then stomped off. You know what he’s like.” Hong managed a weak smile. Katara only nodded in response.</p>
<p>“But he wasn’t heading to the barracks,” Hong continued. “I don’t know what it was, but something inside told me something was up. I didn’t know then, but…I guess I must have done in a way, you know? So I watched him…and I saw him go into the same alley that the other fellow did.” Katara cocked her head in curiosity, and leaned forward. This may have the potential to be interesting. “And…and I heard what they said…” Hong could still remember it vividly, as if it had happened only last night. He realised he seemed to have the bounty hunter’s interest now. That was good. He swallowed thickly and continued. “He – the commander – he talked about some arrangement they’d made,” he explained. “It – it might not seem like a big deal. You’re not from the Earth Kingdom, are you? And I know you got bigger things to worry about, but-”</p>
<p>“What was the arrangement?” Katara prompted, willing him to finally get to the point.</p>
<p>“I heard them talking about the Earth Kingdom Army…and what they were doing. Their positions, their…I will admit, I didn’t understand all they were saying, but I understood what was going on. He was telling them things he shouldn’t. Things that could screw us.” Hong concluded dejectedly. He sniffed miserably, and continued, “And then I heard the other fellow say it again, about being in service of the Fire Nation…” Katara understood. That didn’t explain why Hong was the one behind bars, though. And why was he so upset about it? All he’d had to do was report it.</p>
<p>“Why didn’t you report it?”</p>
<p>“I…I didn’t get a chance to,” Hong admitted feebly. “He saw me. And he beat me to the ground before I could do anything. I was so weak. He knocked me to the floor with one punch. He didn’t even have to use earthbending. Next thing I knew I was being tossed into the cells…”</p>
<p>Katara had an inkling what had happened next. Hong must have caught Gow selling military secrets to the Fire Nation. It was an act of high treason, she imagined, and if Gow got caught… It only made sense, she supposed, that he had wanted to silence his only witness. In the least suspicious way possible.</p>
<p>“And he somehow pinned an imaginary rape on you to keep you quiet,” Katara concluded for him. Hong nodded wordlessly. Katara was almost impressed. The beating and throwing him into the cells was something any old brute could do, but pinning him with such a crime as to make him the shame of the town, and ensure that the villagers were filled with pure disgust at hearing his name…he not only lost his liberty, but Gow had also ensured Hong lost his voice. Who would listen to the feeble excuses of a rapist attempting to save his sorry skin, after all? It was almost genius, Katara thought. Perhaps Gow was smarter than she had given him credit for. He had really managed to play the townspeople in his favour there.</p>
<p>It was so devious, so clever…Katara couldn’t deny it. She <em>was </em>impressed.</p>
<p>But Hong wasn’t finished. “The next morning, he brought Ave into the jail – that’s the girl,” he clarified. “And she told everyone that I had…well, you know, done <em>that </em>to her… But I didn’t! I swear I didn’t! The commander lied and said he’d found her after he threw me in here!”</p>
<p>“I figured.”</p>
<p>“She was covered in bruises…” Hong continued, a haunted look overtaking his features. “And…and her dress was torn…I…I don’t even…” Well, it was obvious, thought Katara. Gow must have inflicted the injuries himself to cover his story. Another bout of cleverness she never would have expected from him. She saw no reason for Hong to become so emotional at the thought. But something still wasn’t adding up.</p>
<p>“Why her? Why did she lie?” Katara asked bluntly. “Did you two have a history?”</p>
<p>“Like I said, I barely knew her. But I overheard them later. The girl and the commander. Her family were having trouble paying…then the commander said they were even now. I guess he gave her an out…and she took it,” Hong sighed. “I understand. This was all for her family.”</p>
<p>“You’re a lot more forgiving than I am,” Katara mused.</p>
<p>“You don't understand," Hong implored her. "If - if you can't pay, you get shipped out to the front line. Or your children do. No-one wants that for their family." Katara nodded in understand. Though she still believed Hong was far too forgiving for his own good.</p>
<p>“Well...that’s really shitty,” she commented obviously after a lingering silence fell between the two. On impulse, she reached in her pocket for the hipflask. She drank a swig from it herself, and then offered it to Hong through the bars. He looked up at her in surprise, and at her nod of assent, he gingerly accepted it and took a large gulp himself.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” he muttered sombrely, passing it back to her. Katara didn’t put it away.</p>
<p>“Why are you telling me all this, Hong?” Katara asked, all hardness from her voice gone.</p>
<p>“Because you have no attachment to this village,” Hong said clearly. “The soldiers won’t dare speak against their commander, at least not without proof. And none of the villagers will listen to me. Not after what they think I did. And…and you were kind to me. When you brought me in. You let me ride with you, you didn’t force me to-”</p>
<p>“Don’t mistake that for mercy,” Katara interrupted him. “I had to make sure you weren’t going to drop dead before I got my money. I couldn’t be sure if I’d still get the reward.”</p>
<p>“I understand,” Hong nodded solemnly. “But that other thing is true.” Katara nodded, accepting his explanation. His words made sense. He had made himself a pariah. Or more accurately, the girl and the commander had. No-one would listen to him. Even if the magistrate somehow believed his version of events, she wouldn’t put it past Gow to bribe him to earn a ruling in his favour.</p>
<p>But what exactly did Hong expect her to do about it? She asked him as much, and his expression faltered. She anticipated that he wanted her to go out and prove his innocence somehow. But his actual request was entirely unexpected. He only wanted her to put a stop to it, somehow. If there was still anything to put a stop to, of course. It was possible, albeit unlikely, that Gow had done more than simply cover his tracks after being discovered. He could have called it all off.</p>
<p>“Just tell me…is he still doing it?” he asked softly.</p>
<p>“I have no idea,” Katara shrugged.</p>
<p>“He can’t be allowed to continue,” Hong said pleadingly. “If he is. I don’t know. I just know I don’t want to live under Fire Nation rule! I have a family! I have a daughter! She wants out of here so badly, I can tell, but I just can’t let her! I want her to be safe from all this. But…miss, we are <em>losing </em>this war. I hear things from travellers all the time. Some just come by me, they don’t make it to the village, you see. And what if we’re losing because the commander is selling us all out?”</p>
<p>“Is that why you escaped?”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” he admitted. “I thought if I got far enough away, I could convince someone to believe me and bring someone to help. But then…well, you ran into me.” Katara nodded thoughtfully, and proffered the hipflask back to the man behind the bars. He took it gratefully. He needed it more than she did right now. He had the look of a man who knew he was doomed. And he blamed himself, for some reason. For not being strong enough to fight the commander. Perhaps in their culture, it was shameful not to be able to beat an opponent larger than yourself. But that was completely illogical to Katara. The only reason she had been able to do so with some of her bounties was because she was a waterbender, and a very powerful one at that. She had learned a few other tricks from various bounties, and from Paik, but she knew she didn’t know enough to be able to take on a hulking brute like Gow without her bending. Then again, if she wasn’t a bender, she would have learned the arts of some other weapon, she supposed. But this man lived a simple life in a simple village. The soldiers ostensibly garrisoned there for their protection were utterly unnecessary. People here barely seemed to know what was happening beyond their small world of poverty and bullish soldiers. They revelled in their gossip and high tales from the few travellers who passed through that weren’t immediately intimidated back out again. They didn’t <em>need </em>to look beyond that. It wasn’t as if the Fire Nation had ever arrived on their doorstep. Nor would they likely do so, not for a long time at least. That may change after Sozin’s Comet if the Avatar failed, but that was months away. The soldiers had been here for years.</p>
<p>Katara had observed all of this from her own time in Ganhan. And Hong was the first person she had heard actively talk about the threat of the war and what a Fire Nation victory would mean. Everyone else seemed to just bury their head in the sand. But not Hong. Hong had had suspicions and he had leaned into them. And all he got for his patriotism was a jail cell, falsely accused of rape, and a trial that Katara suspected was likely to be anything but fair if Gow had any involvement in it, which she was certain he would. He would likely be called as a witness, having “found” the girl.</p>
<p>‘He just tried to do something right for his country,’ she realised. ‘He actually tried to <em>do </em>something…’ She looked back over at Hong, who was still huddled against the bars, clutching the hipflask as if his life depended on it, and she saw him in a new light. He wasn’t like the other simpletons here. Hong was a man who had seen some wrong and tried to do good…and this was the thanks fate threw him. But what was very strange was that Hong didn’t seem to be bothered by that fact himself. His only concern was ensuring secrets stopped being leaked. He had never once mentioned clearing his name.</p>
<p>“I have to ask,” she said, curiosity getting the better of her. Hong nodded for her to continue. “Why didn’t you ask me to prove your innocence?” Hong averted his gaze to the floor sadly.</p>
<p>“Obviously I would love for this to not be my fate, cos I didn’t do it, but…I’m one life. The rest of the world seems more important, you know?”</p>
<p>“They’re hardly mutually exclusive,” Katara remarked. Hong only shrugged in response.</p>
<p>In that instant, Katara made her decision. Hong had failed. Twice. That wasn’t his fault. Now he was imploring her of all people for help. She knew she probably should help, although she didn’t see how it would benefit her to get involved. If anything, what had happened to Hong as a result of intervening only cautioned her against it. But hadn’t she been looking for some entertainment anyway? A challenge? A reason to go up against the arrogant commander? As an earthbender, Katara had no doubt he would put up a fight to remember… After the incident, she had already decided she would confront him eventually anyway, when her time in Ganhan was up. Because by that point, it wouldn’t be to her detriment that they would probably want her to leave afterwards, when they saw just what she was capable of. She had planned to bide her time until then. But she was bored. Why not move things along, now that there were actually things to move along?</p>
<p>She didn’t need to convince herself, and there was no irritating little voice urging her to help this time. This was something she decidedly wanted to do. She could think of it as just another bounty, only a much more complicated bounty than she had been dealt before. Now <em>that </em>did sound intriguing… If she was being honest, the thought thrilled her.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Hong was thirstily guzzling down the contents of her hipflask. “Save some for me!” she scolded, snatching the flask back and taking a swig. Hong squeaked out an apology. At that, Katara sighed and relented. It wasn’t as though she didn’t have easy access to more. “Actually, you know what, finish it. You need it more than I do.” She tossed it back into the cell, though she didn't know why she was showing him this kindness.</p>
<p>She couldn’t say she cared about him, she barely knew the man. But she did know the facts of his situation. He wasn’t lying – of that, Katara was certain. He had been imprisoned for months on a lie, though. And a bitter lie that would surely tarnish his reputation for the rest of his life regardless of how the trial went. Katara wasn’t at all above using people for her own gains, not anymore, but still. She didn’t like it. She decided then that she would also pay a visit to the girl, Ave. See exactly what she had to say for herself. Treat it as part of the job. It seemed half-hearted to go after Gow for treason and not clear Hong’s name in the process, given that the former had given rise to the latter – and Katara <em>never </em>took her work half-heartedly.</p>
<p>“But I want the flask back,” she told him. “I’ll be by in the morning to pick it up. Just give it to Paik. He’ll understand.”</p>
<p>She stood up, muttering, “I guess I have work to do." Hong nodded wordlessly, staring up at her with an entirely new expression in his eyes – hope.</p>
<p>“Does…does this mean you’ll help?” he asked her. Katara nodded. “Thank you! Thank you so much! I…I’ll never be able to repay you.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it,” she waved her hand at him.</p>
<p>With that, she began walking away, when she heard another squeak. She turned and saw Hong looking dejectedly back at the floor. For fuck’s sake, what was his problem now?</p>
<p>“It’s execution,” he muttered almost inaudibly. He looked up and met her stare. “The…sentence.” Sure, the rich could buy themselves into a lengthy prison sentence instead if they so chose, but that wasn’t an option for Hong. They could barely afford the taxes. At Katara’s expression, he added hastily, “You asked earlier. So…I just thought…”</p>
<p>“I’ll try to get the truth out, but that could still happen, you know,” Katara replied. She might not succeed. She might not be able to do what she needed to do in time to stay his execution. There were any number of possibilities. But Hong’s nod confirmed he knew that. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said he wasn’t concerned for himself.</p>
<p>Filled with renewed purpose, she strode out of the jail, and made a quick detour to the stables before heading back to the inn. She found her ostrich-horse, which nickered as she approached. She patted her mane gently, and whispered softly to her. Katara noticed a fresh bag of feed lying against a post, and cracked it open with a thin shard of ice bent from her waterskin. The ostrich-horse nuzzled her outstretched hand affectionately as she lapped up the bites Katara offered her.</p>
<p>Suddenly, the ostrich-horse reared her head, letting out a frightened whine as Katara heard the sounds of shouting and fighting coming from the main thoroughfare. Her curiosity piqued, she gave her ostrich-horse one final, comforting stroke before charging off towards the commotion.</p>
<p>She saw a crowd of people gathered around the water tower, some standing well back, others hiding in side streets to watch from safety. Katara ducked into an empty alley and as she neared the fray, she saw something that made her whole system fill with excitement. More excitement than she had felt in weeks. Excitement of such intensity that she hadn’t felt since General Fong’s fortress, as she had watched General Fong’s men turn on the Avatar.</p>
<p><em>Fire</em>. And then she took in the man wielding it as it burst forth from his very flesh, not charring him in the slightest.</p>
<p>‘A firebender!’ she thought, smiling with wild fascination as she had back at the fortress. She laughed mirthlessly, an exclamation of excitement as the thrill at the sight of those frenzied flames flooded her system. This what had been missing from her life recently, she realised with clarity. Real danger…the bounties had done some to temper that desire, but she was growing bored of carrying out the same tired jobs against the same tired targets who never presented a challenge. But this was it. This was everything she didn’t even realise she had been waiting for.</p>
<p>‘Finally! It’s been a while…’ she thought, biting her bottom lip in anticipation. She was just about to go and confront the rogue firebender, when his voice, a voice she recognised, rang loudly down the street, stopping her in her tracks.</p>
<p>“My name is Zuko. Son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai. Prince of the Fire Nation, and heir to the throne!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>So, yeah...Gow's a massive creep.</p>
<p>I couldn't resist throwing in the cabbage merchant. He was by far my favourite cameo in the series, and I just had to include him somewhere. And let's be honest, Gow demanding a crate as a contribution is definitely something he would do.</p>
<p>And, it seems Zuko has caught up with Katara...what oh what will happen next? Chapter 6 will be up next week. It might take me a little longer to update this time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Taking Root</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zuko has a very confusing encounter with the Avatar's waterbender, and Katara begins investigating.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At Zuko’s proclamation, the entire village fell silent. Even the breeze had stilled, as if waiting on tenterhooks with the rest of the crowd for his next move. Zuko wasn’t entirely sure what his next move was. He hadn’t intended to firebend, he hadn’t intended to reveal himself. He had just been trying to do something good for a change. But he’d messed up. As always, he’d messed it up. He hadn’t kept his cool, and because of that he’d panicked and threw the flames out before he could stop himself. To his mild satisfaction, the big ugly brute who had been terrorising Lee’s family was now a quivering wreck on the ground, and the cocksure arrogance on his face had been replaced with fear…and loathing. Zuko was used to that. He was used to the disdain of his own countrymen for his dishonour, and he was used to the fear and hatred from the rest of the world. They didn’t understand what the Fire Nation was trying to do for them, it was only natural. But what he didn’t expect was for the heights and depths of his failure to have become common knowledge.</p><p>“Liar!” a man shouted from the crowd, having seemingly been the first to find his voice. “I heard of you. You’re not a prince, you’re an outcast!” He turned to the people immediately flanking him. “His own father burned and disowned him!” Zuko flinched, but his face betrayed no emotion at the man’s words. Around him, he heard the crowd begin to murmur, but none of them made any moves against him. He promptly resolved to ignore them. He still had to finish the promise he had made to Sela.</p><p>He approached Gow, who cowered as he neared. Zuko threw him a menacing glare, then bent down and retrieved the knife that the brute had stolen from Lee. He walked towards the water tower where Sela was untying her son. He forced a small, almost hopeful smile onto his face as he approached, but as Sela looked over her shoulder and saw him, she hurriedly placed herself between Zuko and Lee.</p><p>“Not a step closer!” she warned. Zuko paused. So…it mattered to her, too, did it? Even after he had only gone into this fight for the sake of her son? So be it. He shouldn’t have been so surprised. He was an outcast, a disgrace to his country. He would always be Fire Nation in the eyes of the world, and being Fire Nation would always mean being unfairly seen as the bad guy, if not downright evil, no matter what he did. He found himself hoping she wouldn’t insist he return the pack of food. It was likely to be his only proper meal until he found another town. He should probably try and stretch the meals out to make the package last longer.</p><p>He crouched down before Lee, vainly hoping he wouldn’t receive the same reaction from the boy as he had from his mother. He gently proffered the knife as Lee peeked out from behind Sela’s back. “It’s yours,” he said softly. “You should have it.”</p><p>‘Please,’ he thought desperately. ‘Please just accept it. Please let me do some good.’ But Lee’s expression turned to one of indignant anger.</p><p>“No! I hate you!” the boy spat. Thoroughly humbled, Zuko stood up and silently returned to his ostrich-horse, pocketing the knife. The villagers had begun slinking out of the alleys and side streets, and practically lined the main thoroughfare as he trotted through, self-consciously aware of all of their eyes on him. He fought to maintain his gaze straight ahead. He noticed that some of the villagers had armed themselves with whatever they could find, lest he attack them again. He hadn’t even been the one to do the attacking! The <em>soldiers </em>were the ones who were the bane of this village, and yet it was <em>him </em>who was…</p><p>He sighed. What was the point? They were probably right to reject him. Everyone else had, after all. And even if they weren’t, there wasn’t anyone around to care, to give him a chance. His own country, his own family, regarded him as little more than a stain on the Royal bloodline. Which he might as well be. Why <em>should </em>they give him a chance?</p><p>He braved a glance at some of the faces in the crowd. Many of their expressions contained hatred, loathing, anger…but there was no fear, he realised with a start. Oddly, he found he missed it. At least hatred was an understandable leap from fear. But this was just…this felt personal.</p><p>A movement to his left caught his eye as a woman determinedly pushed her way to the front of the crowd gathered. He risked a glimpse, and almost fell off his ostrich-horse in shock. Was that…could it be? No…no, that could <em>not </em>be the Avatar’s waterbender… Her steely gaze met his, and he recognised her instantly. She wore a simple grey dress that seemed to be common amongst the plains-dwellers, rather than her usual blue robes, but it was unmistakeably her.</p><p>Of course it was. As if it wasn’t bad enough how far he had fallen from grace, even from just a few weeks ago, now his enemies got to see first-hand just what a miserable, pathetic excuse for a man he was. A failure personified, in every sense. He expected her to look pleased at his defeat, or perhaps to harbour a vestige of fear. But to his surprise, there wasn’t anything at all like that. There didn’t seem to even be loathing. Just…curiosity.</p><p>Realising he had been staring, he quickly snapped his head back so he was facing forwards and quietly made his way out of the village. To his relief, no-one attacked him or seemed to follow him. He supposed it was possible they might plan an ambush if he stayed nearby…he would have to keep moving. The ostrich-horse had managed to rest well over the last couple of days, as well as being properly fed and watered. It would be able to cope.</p><p>As Zuko rode on, he became lost in his thoughts. So much so he didn’t really notice where he was going. He just followed the road, as he had been doing for weeks. He was too far away to notice when another ostrich-horse galloped out shortly afterwards, her rider ignoring the ardent protestations of many of the villagers, and of one soldier in particular, following him.</p><p>****</p><p>It took Katara longer than she expected to track Zuko down. She had wasted only a scant few minutes after making the decision to follow him. Knowing Zuko, he was there for one reason and one reason only. And if he had reason to believe the Avatar was nearby…well, she needed to know that. Although she no longer harboured the same irrational anxiety that she would encounter them accidentally as she had when she had first left, she still had no desire to do so.</p><p>Her plan was simple. Track down Zuko, grill him for what he knew regarding the Avatar’s whereabouts, and then go on her way. There was no real <em>need </em>for it to get nasty…but Katara thought it would be a shame if it didn’t. The firebending he had displayed back in Ganhan had been sloppy and much less co-ordinated than what she was used to from him, but in a way that had just made it all the more enticing. She <em>knew </em>he was capable of more, of better, and that he possessed a much more fearsome prowess with his bending. Had he chosen to rein it in, aware he was surrounded by civilians? Or had he just flailed and panicked? Katara didn’t dwell on it. Whatever his motivation had been was unimportant. What was important was the effect it had had on Katara. It had only been because of Paik completely overreacting and trying to hold her back from confronting him that she hadn’t done so before it was too late. Before he was already on his way out. She had even missed what the old man had called out, but she did notice the reaction of the crowd. They had begun to seep out of the woodwork, emboldened by whatever the man had said. At that point, it just seemed fruitless, starting a fight for the sake of it. Katara also found she didn’t want an audience. She had already witnessed Zuko hold back. And it would be no fun if he held back. Although Paik had no idea how close he had come to being frozen to the spot in her frustration…and that was if he had been lucky. She had settled instead for slamming him against the wall, her eyes glaring with venom, before he’d finally let her go.</p><p>She had been positively dripping with excitement as she made her mind up to follow Zuko. She was trembling with anticipation and relishing every moment of it. How serendipitous that he just <em>happened </em>to trot into the same village she had made her temporary base. Except, as she reminded herself, it likely wasn’t serendipity. For whatever reason, he likely thought the Avatar was nearby – why else would he be here? It was the main reason she was following him. She had rushed back to the inn to grab her travelling cloak, aware that the day was nearing its end, before returning to the stables to mount her ostrich-horse. She had taken no notice Paik’s protests and excuses. She hadn’t even argued with him – just ignored him. For once, Katara found herself feeling strangely grateful for that pig-headed commander of his, ordering him back to the barracks before Paik could get any notions of saddling up and following her himself.</p><p>Zuko, however, was <em>fast</em>. She couldn’t even see him on the horizon as she rode out of the village, and it was only by the grace of his own ostrich-horse that she had been able to pick up his trail. The irony that she was now hunting <em>him </em>after months of being chased across the world by him wasn’t lost on her. It had occurred to her before that he had always been surprisingly adept at tracking them, no matter where in the world they fled to. And he had never been shy about it. He had never simply given up and stalked away with his tail between his legs, like he had in Ganhan.</p><p>But then she remembered what Trei had told her, the first time they had met – the Fire Nation were on the hunt for the Prince and his uncle. She didn’t know why, nor did she particularly care, but that did go some way to explaining why he was so flighty. And why he was strangely difficult to follow. No matter, Katara reasoned. She had tracked plenty of evasive bounties. This one just happened to be a personal affair.</p><p>And he had seen her, she could tell. He had stared long and hard at her, as if he was trying to place who she was. She wondered idly if he had recognised her. He certainly wouldn’t forget her in a hurry if she had her way when she found him, she thought, her lips curling into a small, private smirk. She found herself hoping he would panic again, and begin attacking on sight. It had been so long since she’d had the satisfaction of knocking him down. And she couldn’t help but wonder just what else would spark within her if he aimed his firebending against her…the thought was deliciously tantalising, and Katara unconsciously bit her lower lip. She didn’t tend to delve into fantasy often, but the idea of fending off a firebender was <em>doing </em>something to her. She recognised the sensation from her drunken nights with Paik – lust. Lust for the danger he represented, lust for the dark and destructive power simmering just below the surface. And if just the thought of it was filling her with hot anticipation, just what could he make her feel if he actually <em>did </em>it…?</p><p>‘I really should have found a nice firebender I could play with whenever I got bored,’ she mused to herself. And if said imaginary firebender happened to be attractive and not objectionable to playing rough every now and then, well that would have been two gulls with one boomerang. A feat that Sokka had attempted on many occasions but never managed to pull off. Of course, had Katara’s waterbending been stronger when they’d left, she imagined she could take out a whole flock with one water-whip. She certainly had no doubt that she was capable of that now. Maybe she should try it?</p><p>Night had fallen by the time she found Zuko’s small camp. His ostrich-horse was tied to a tree, against which he had propped himself. A fire burnt brightly just a few feet ahead of him, and his meagre possessions were scattered carelessly around him. She noticed that his uncle didn’t seem to be with him. Good, that should make it easier to sneak up on him and confront him. His uncle had turned out to be a surprisingly kindly man, she remembered from the North Pole. She didn’t need his kindly nature getting in her way here. She was glad she had stopped for her travelling cloak. It made it so much easier to blend into the shadows. After tying up her own ostrich-horse nearby, she crept behind a bush that gave her a good view of the clearing where he had settled himself. She could hear and sense a river coursing nearby, but not near enough to be able to draw on its torrent if a fight did break out. That was the intriguing thing about firebenders, she found. Their source of power seemed to be themselves, whereas Katara was reliant on there being a source of water nearby. It could be quite the handicap outside of the Poles, but Katara had always managed. She had her waterskin after all.</p><p>Katara decided to sit and observe for a while before making her move. She wanted to be sure of his situation before she struck. She didn’t want any surprises, such as it turning out that he was surrounded by allies who could make quick work of her. Katara was strong, but not strong enough to take out a large group single-handedly. If it got to that point, she would have to flee and then she wouldn’t get the answers she needed. But it seemed as if Zuko truly was alone. No crew, no soldiers still loyal to their prince, and no uncle.</p><p>In other words, no backup.</p><p>A cold and ruthless smile twisted onto her lips. Oh if this went the way she wanted it to, Paik was in for the night of his life when she got back to Ganhan. She was still irritated at him but decided she could use that to her advantage. He seemed taken aback but overall didn’t mind when things took a rough turn.</p><p>She stood up from her hiding spot, still veiled by the darkness and the black of her cloak. She wasn’t entirely sure if Zuko was asleep, but she figured if he was being hunted, he would probably keep one eye open. Just to be sure, though, she kicked a small rock in his direction. It landed with a clatter just inches from him. He stirred momentarily, but then just re-settled himself, still asleep. Perhaps she had been too subtle.</p><p>‘Okay,’ she nodded to herself. She promptly found a bigger rock, and then launched it at the tree that Zuko was leaning against. It bounced off the bark and fell to the ground with a thud, and Zuko suddenly snapped into awareness, his eyes blazing. His fists became enveloped in fire, and Katara let out a shuddering sigh at the sight. Deciding there really was no longer a need to hide, she stepped out of the shadows and casually approached him. Adrenaline and excitement coursed through her, but she maintained a placid expression on her face. She couldn’t stop the smile though.</p><p>As Zuko heard her steps, he spun around to face her, and narrowed his eyes. “You…” he growled. He made no immediate move to attack, but his fists were still alight. That suited Katara just fine.</p><p>“Zuko,” she greeted pleasantly. “It’s been a while.” Zuko hesitated, just for a moment, at the politeness of her greeting, but quickly moved past it.</p><p>“That was you back in that village wasn’t it?” he demanded, his right eye narrowing in suspicion.</p><p>“Yep. It’s so sweet that you recognised me,” she drawled, smirking at how discomfited Zuko looked. It was only a matter of time, she thought. Soon, the hot-headed firebender he would grow tired of words and attack. And she would be ready.</p><p>‘Fan-fucking-tastic’, Zuko thought. So she had witnessed everything. And probably had a good laugh with the Avatar and that other idiot about it. He wanted to find them and wipe the smug grins off their faces. He wanted to curse, loudly, and shout with fury, not at the waterbender, but just at <em>everything </em>that had aligned themselves so that he found himself in this position.</p><p>“What do you want? What are you doing here?” was what he chose to say, his voice rising with agitation.</p><p>“I could ask you the same question,” Katara replied calmly, stepping ever closer.</p><p>“That’s none of your business!” he spat. “Piss off!” Katara paused, and adopted a hurt expression on her face.</p><p>“That’s not very nice,” she remarked.</p><p>“Look, just leave me alone before I make you!” At that, Katara’s smirk returned.</p><p>“<em>There </em>it is,” she said, taking on a satisfied air with a wild glint in her eye, uncapping her waterskin in preparation. “Now we’re getting somewhere…”</p><p>Zuko growled in frustration. Who was <em>she </em>to mock him? How dare she? She was no more than a peasant and a faithful lapdog yapping at the heels of her precious Avatar! He would knock her out where she stood if that’s what it took…there would be no purpose in capturing her, but perhaps then her and the rest of the thorns in his side would get the message. That would show them not to mess with him…but what would be the purpose to any of it?</p><p>Zuko let out a loud, rasping sigh. He extinguished the flames in his hands. He really didn’t have the energy for this. The fight back in that pitiful excuse for a village had taken it out of him, more than he would have ever dared to admit. He was weak right now. He wasn’t able to feed himself or rest properly. Even if it wasn’t a waterbender’s time to shine, he knew he had next to no chance of beating her, not now she had found a master to teach her. It had only been by the grace of the sunrise that he had been able to gain the upper hand in that surprisingly warm area by the pond they had fought at in the otherwise bitterly cold climate of the North Pole.</p><p>“I don’t want to fight you,” he uttered, and lowered his fists. What was the point? He was no longer hunting for the Avatar. He had nothing to gain by doing so, even if he wasn’t in such a pitiable condition himself right now. He had nothing at all to gain by allowing himself to be thoroughly trounced by this waterbender. Whatever the fuck her mission was. What <em>was </em>she even doing here? Why had she followed him? Had the Avatar sent her? From what little he had witnessed of that child, the Avatar didn’t seem like the type to send his friends into battle without backup. Unless, of course, the waterbender wasn’t alone…</p><p>Katara let out a sigh of disappointment at his words, and reluctantly replaced the cap on her waterskin. As badly as she wanted a fight, Zuko clearly didn’t. And it was no fun when the other person wasn’t in to it. Well…much less fun, anyway. She knew that from her bounties.</p><p>“That’s too bad,” she replied. “Is this just because I kicked your ass at the North Pole?” Zuko seethed at the comment, but only for a moment.</p><p>“Look, I think I know why you’re here,” he began, ignoring her jibe. “And you can tell the Avatar to stop playing whatever…twisted game this is. I’m not searching for him anymore.”</p><p>That was news to Katara. She raised her eyebrows in surprise. She didn’t think Zuko was the type to give up so easily. Was it because he himself was being chased? Trei had never gone into detail why the Fire Nation’s own prince was being hunted like a fugitive, and Katara had never asked. But now that she was here, with that same banished prince who looked utterly defeated and seemed to sink before her eyes, she found herself oddly curious.</p><p>“Tell him yourself,” she shrugged. “I’m not travelling with them anymore.”</p><p>Zuko’s head snapped up. “You’re not?” he said cautiously. Surely this had to be a trick. They had been irritatingly inseparable before. “Why?”</p><p>“Why do you care?”</p><p>“I don’t care!” he hissed. Katara merely snorted at his outburst. Why was it so much fun riling men up, she wondered. “You always seemed glued to his side. What, did he get sick of you because you stopped worshipping the ground he walked on?” he sneered.</p><p>“Something like that,” Katara nodded nonchalantly. It <em>was </em>essentially what had happened when everything had boiled down. Zuko had no idea how close to the truth he was.</p><p>“Oh…” Zuko realised, assuming she was telling the truth, he’d crossed a line there. A very sensitive line he wouldn’t ordinarily have trodden, no matter who he was dealing with. He fought the urge to rub the back of his head, a nervous tic of his that he fought to suppress whenever situations became too awkward. He thought perhaps he should say something nice. It was what his uncle would encourage him to do.</p><p>But she was probably lying, he reasoned. Why would she tell him the truth? She was probably just trying to protect her precious Avatar. They probably had a whole plan. They’d send in their pretty little waterbender to distract and humiliate him whilst the others got on with whatever nonsense they got on with. That seemed the most likely. He realised then that the waterbender was fixing him with an intense stare. But like in the village, he couldn’t see any loathing or disgust or even anger in her eyes. Just curiosity.</p><p>“So you have no idea where they are?” she piped up, breaking the silence. “That’s not why you’re here?”</p><p>“I told you, I’m not searching for him anymore.”</p><p>Katara nodded, seemingly in satisfaction, at his response. ‘Well, that’s that then,’ she supposed. ‘Pity. I wanted a fight.’ She supposed she should go on her way, now that she had her answer. Zuko was just as clueless as her as to her former companions’ whereabouts. Whatever he was doing out here, it had nothing to do with her.</p><p>But he had been ready to attack when he’d spotted her. Why had he suddenly changed his mind? It made no sense. They had fought at night before. She wondered if perhaps she just needed to goad him into it. If she could get him angry and riled up enough, he probably wouldn’t be able to help himself.</p><p>“Are you sure I can’t tempt you with a fight?” she smirked over at him.</p><p>“We have no reason to fight,” Zuko told her. “You’re not my enemy anymore.”</p><p>“Oh, but I could be,” she offered. She stepped closer. “Come on,” she drawled. “Since when does the big and scary Fire Prince back down from a little Water Tribe peasant?”</p><p>“Just…back off,” he said in a warning tone. ‘Good, Zuko,’ Katara thought mischievously. ‘That’s the spirit.’</p><p>“Or what?” she challenged him. She studied him closely, and although Zuko’s face was very expressive at times, she had no clue what was going through his mind. She just wished he’d hurry up and figure it out so they could get started. She was <em>itching </em>for this fight more than was rational, she knew. Whereas Zuko just seemed to want…she had no idea what he wanted. How could she? Zuko himself didn’t seem to have a clue, she realised as the silence stretched on. And he was taking his sweet fucking time working it out. Growing quickly bored, she continued, “Don’t leave me hanging here, firebender. Are we doing this or not?”</p><p>“No,” he sighed finally, as if in defeat. “You’re not my enemy,” he repeated in a barely-there whisper. “Just…leave me alone and stop following me.”</p><p>Disappointed though she was at how anti-climactic this evening was turning out to be, Katara decided to listen. She folded her arms across her chest and regarded him curiously. The Zuko she remembered had been the most determined person she had ever met. But all of that fire in him seemed to have died.</p><p>Like her own, she supposed. A lot of the time, except for unique moments that stirred her body into that satisfying, addictive wakefulness, she was just going through the motions. She wondered if that was what the banished prince was doing.</p><p>Then she wondered why it gnawed at her so much. He was nothing to her now. Not even a decent adversary, it seemed. How disappointing. Zuko had had <em>such </em>potential to make this an unforgettable night for them both. Too bad the Zuko before her was a husk of his former self. She briefly considered trying to shock him into fighting back. Perhaps she should get really close, into his personal space, kiss him even. That would likely throw him off. She wouldn’t land a strike if he wasn’t engaged, there was no honour or excitement in that. It was the threat or promise of retaliation that stoked her own fire. Just attacking for the sake of it brought no such sensations for Katara. It was something she could do quite easily if there was occasion for it, but right now she didn’t need to. Zuko wasn’t the least bit threatening in his current state. So there really was no point in continuing – he wouldn’t give her a challenge in the slightest.</p><p>“I guess you’re not my enemy either, then,” Katara begrudgingly conceded. Zuko noted the disappointment in her voice, but said nothing. He found himself looking back at her, and took her in properly for the first time. She seemed…different, somehow. She had always had a spark about her, a level of fearlessness that had frustrated him to no end when he was chasing the Avatar. She seemed just as sure and confident, if not more so, than she had been when he had last seen her. But something was undeniably, if ineffably, different. He didn’t know why she was so disappointed that they weren’t fighting. But all the same, he appreciated that she was giving in. She had even declared he wasn’t her enemy anymore, and he felt something in the pit of his stomach. It was a strange sensation, he realised. He couldn’t quite describe it.</p><p>He thought perhaps he should thank her for her consideration, but quickly repressed it. He just wanted her to leave, and to be alone again. It was so much easier, not having other people around. He had thought, hoped, for one fleeting moment back with Lee’s family that perhaps he could be accepted. Perhaps his being Fire Nation didn’t have to matter if he only did some good. Well, he knew better than to hope that now. He <em>should </em>have known better in the first place. It honestly made him glad his uncle wasn’t here to witness it. He would have just looked at him with that sad and pitied expression, which would only make Zuko feel leagues worse and more pathetic than he already did.</p><p>“So, Zuko, since we’re not enemies anymore, can I ask you a question?” Katara suddenly piped up. She should have thought of it before, she realised. Then again, she hadn’t anticipated any of this happening tonight…or at all, really, before talking with Hong.</p><p>“You just did,” he sighed. But he didn’t argue further, and simply watched her expectantly and warily. “If I answer, will you leave me alone?”</p><p>“If that’s what you want,” Katara promised. And she meant it. Zuko wasn’t exactly being interesting or welcoming at the moment. The latter she expected of course. “How tough of a fighter is Gow, would you say?”</p><p>Zuko looked at her in confusion. “Gow?” he asked warily.</p><p>“The hammer guy.” Of all the questions Zuko imagined the waterbender would ask him, this one hadn’t even graced the bottom of the list. He sighed. Of course it should have done. She was probably just trying to rub his failure in his face.</p><p>“What, you didn’t get enough earlier?” he sneered.</p><p>“I didn’t actually see the fight,” she replied calmly. “Not until you started firebending and he ran away like a little bitch, that is.” Despite himself, Zuko snorted with mild amusement at her words, unexpected as they were. ‘Little bitch’ was not how he would have described the brute. But if she wasn’t here to gloat, why was she asking and still bothering him?</p><p>“Why do you want to know?”</p><p>“The deal was you’d answer and I leave you alone,” Katara reminded him. Well that was fair enough, Zuko thought. She wasn’t his problem anyway. He really wasn’t sure how he would describe the other man’s fighting style though. Truthfully, he just wanted to forget he had ever set foot in that village.</p><p>“He was…competent,” Zuko replied eventually. He’d certainly given Zuko a battle to think about when he had just been duelling with his twin Dao swords. But when the fire had come out, it had been game over. “I don’t know what he would be like against another bender, though,” he added. “I used my swords for most of it.” He didn’t know why he had just told her that.</p><p>Katara nodded thoughtfully. It wasn’t a particularly helpful answer, but she supposed if Zuko didn’t know, he didn’t know. He didn’t seem like he was lying or withholding information. The fact that he had volunteered that he had fought with swords and not fire the whole time seemed to confirm that. “Thank you,” she offered in response. “I’ll keep that in mind.”</p><p>When it was clear Zuko wasn’t going to say anything else, Katara decided that this encounter had run its course. But that didn’t mean she couldn’t make one last push. “If you ever want that fight, come find me,” she told him. “Or, of course, if you just want a rematch with that asshole, stick around,” she smirked. Something would be going down in a matter of days. And she didn’t have much experience with fighting earthbenders. Her last fight with an earthbender had ended up with her in the ground! Somehow she doubted that if Gow possessed that ability, she would be brought back up to the surface anytime soon. “Honestly, I might need the backup,” she mused aloud. She turned to look back at Zuko, whose famous scowl had for once fallen off his face, but he remained largely impassive. “Think about it?” she added sweetly. To her surprise, Zuko nodded in response. She hummed in approval. Perhaps there was life in him yet.</p><p>Just as she mounted her ostrich-horse, she couldn’t resist calling over her shoulder, “It’s been a pleasure as always, Zuko!” This time, she didn’t look back for his response.</p><p>****</p><p>Katara found that the menacing boredom that so often plagued her had returned by the time she got back to Ganhan. The excitement she had felt at the thought of confronting Zuko had turned out to be a total waste. True, she had been able to glean that Zuko didn’t know where the Avatar was, which meant there was no imminent chance of being found by them, but if she was being honest, that information did little to alleviate the sheer disappointment she felt at how their conversation had gone. In that it had just been a conversation. She doubted he would actually take her up on her offer of a fight or a rematch against Gow. She had been sincere, though. If Zuko ever decided he wanted to renew their enmity, or even just wanted an opponent to take his rage out on, she would be an extremely willing participant.</p><p>She pushed him from her mind as the familiar thoroughfare came into view, distinguished from the sparse surroundings only by the shadows of the buildings. The village seemed darker and quieter tonight. Usually there was some light emanating from the various houses that lined the street, but tonight only the tavern seemed to contain any activity, although as she neared, she noted that the usual cacophony that emanated from within had quieted significantly. She couldn’t help but wonder what new development she had missed. Perhaps that would get her out of her increasingly foul mood, if there was a new challenge awaiting her.</p><p>She rode first to the stables at the barracks, Paik having promised her she could stable her ostrich-horse there as long as she needed free of charge, and then crossed the short distance through the village to the tavern. Once inside, she realised just how quiet an evening it was. Oli didn’t look particularly pleased at the turn-out, but everyone who was there popped their heads up as she entered. Some of them watched her with curiosity, whilst others turned back to their tankards with disinterest.</p><p>Suddenly, she felt herself be enveloped in a tight embrace. Her hand flicked automatically to the knife she kept on her, before she realised it was Paik.</p><p>“Raina!” he gasped. “Are you…are you all right? What happened?”</p><p>“Nothing,” she told him, pushing herself out of his arms. Since when did they embrace when they weren’t naked? If this was his idea of foreplay, she would need to teach him some harsh lessons, she thought. If she could be bothered. Paik could be pretty to look at, but Katara was getting bored of him. It had crossed her mind earlier that if she was to lie with Paik tonight, she would need to brew a new batch of tea. The herbs needed to be steeped in water for some time to become effective, and she really wasn’t sure if she could be bothered with that hassle for what was ultimately just a short amount of time of what was fast becoming mediocre pleasure. Pleasure she could easily take care of herself without the associated risk. Had the confrontation gone differently, she would have been all over him most likely, the risks be damned. If she needed to vent pent-up energy somewhere, he would have done the job adequately, but as it was there was no tension to release. Except for the boredom. But Katara had found to her chagrin that though the sex could be very satisfying, Paik just wasn’t exciting enough as a lover to lift the red haze of boredom once it had clouded enough of her mind.</p><p>“You didn’t find him?” Paik said, relief flooding his features. “Oh thank the spirits, I thought-”</p><p>“I want a drink, Paik,” she interrupted him with irritation. “Just go wait for me at your table.” Paik nodded hesitantly, and returned to a small table towards the back of the tavern. She noted that only the commander was sat with him that night. Well, if he was all riled up from being reduced to a cowering mess by Zuko, he could be mildly interesting to observe for a while. Especially considering what she now knew about him. Who knew? He may just let something slip… That, and she was curious as to how he would interact with her. They hadn’t crossed each other’s paths since the incident. It had to be more stimulating than just drinking herself into a stupor. That had grown tiresome as well. Where once it had served to amplify the little she felt, she had quickly learned that when there was nothing to excite her, it did little to alleviate her boredom. Until she passed out. So there was that.</p><p>She was disappointed to learn from Oli that nothing had transpired during her absence. It seemed that Zuko and his firebending was the only reason the people had shut themselves in, rather than any new threat that Katara had missed. If they only knew the truth…she wondered if any of them were angry or brave or stupid enough that, if they knew the state Zuko was in, they would attempt to go after him themselves. That <em>could </em>be entertaining, she mused, <em>if </em>Zuko fought back and gave them a spectacle. But based on his behaviour earlier, he would probably just give in and find himself entirely surrounded by a furious mob that would be deaf to his pleas… She considered that for a moment, and considered standing by and letting it happen. She considered idly watching Zuko struggle as the life was beaten out of him, his bruised and broken body sticky with his own blood. She wondered if he would scream. She wondered if, in a moment of desperation before it was too late, he would look to her to stop it. For the good person he presumably took her to be, considering their history. And at that, she wondered if she <em>would</em> just stand by and let it happen if he actively implored her for help...she hadn’t ignored Hong, after all. Would that voice rear its irritating head once more? It had for the victim of Katara’s first bounty – the accidental one. She hadn’t heard it since that evening, but now she knew it was there. It had happened twice, after all.</p><p>Katara calmly decided that she had no wish for that to take place. She naturally couldn’t estimate how it would <em>feel </em>to watch Zuko be savagely beaten to death. Certainly just imagining it didn’t make her <em>feel </em>anything, much like when she had imagined slitting Sokka’s throat, and Sokka was her brother. Katara at one point would have expected there to have been a difference, but now all it did was confirm something else she had already strongly suspected. All everything came down to at the end of day now was whether or not a prospect excited her, and she realised that the thought of Zuko’s death didn’t…although intervening on his behalf held a tinge of promise, she remarked with detached interest. Still, it was as simple as that. It was largely superfluous information for the time being, but noteworthy nonetheless.</p><p>Katara took her tankard and made her way over to Paik and Gow. The latter, for once, seemed very quiet and reserved. Had he really been that cowed by the firebending? It had been bordering on pathetic, based on what she knew Zuko was actually capable of. Still she supposed it was typical of a bully. The moment someone bigger and badder turns up, they went running. It occurred to her that maybe that was why Zuko had been so withdrawn when she’d turned up…</p><p>Why did she keep thinking about it? She shook herself in frustration and took a deep gulp of her ale. It did nothing to improve her mood, but it was nevertheless oddly satisfying. Paik threw her a furtive look as she approached.</p><p>“Good evening, gentlemen,” Katara said as she sat across from them. Paik threw her a quick smile, and Gow grunted in response. Katara rolled her eyes. Well <em>they </em>were being thrilling company. She should just go to her room, she decided. The entire village seemed to have collectively decided to be as dull as that rusty blade she hadn’t bothered to snipe from that bandit weeks ago, and it really wasn’t worth Katara’s while surrounding herself with people if they weren’t going to at least be interesting.</p><p>“The commander wanted to talk to you,” Paik suddenly said. “About…about that firebender.”</p><p>“Okay,” Katara shrugged. “What about him?”</p><p>“Raina, what happened?” Paik urged. “Did you…are you sure-”</p><p>“I’ll do the talking, greenleaf,” Gow cut in, and leaned forward, resting his thick arms on the table. “How much did you see earlier?”</p><p>“Not much,” Katara replied, taking another deep gulp. “I saw <em>you</em> shaking like a greenleaf after.”</p><p>Gow chose to ignore her comment and pressed on. “Do you know who he was?”</p><p>“Well, he announced it to the entire village, so yes.” Katara saw no need to enlighten either of them of her previous encounters with Zuko.</p><p>“Did you find him?” Gow asked. Katara nodded. “Is he a threat?” Katara snorted in response.</p><p>“Not in the slightest,” she assured him plainly. Gow nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response.</p><p>“Why didn’t you bring him back here?” he asked her.</p><p>“There’s no bounty on him. Why would I?” Gow sighed. Typical woman. He hadn’t thought of her as ‘typical’ before, but it was just like women not to use initiative, or to think things through. If they had the Fire Nation Prince in their cells, the spirits only knew the accolades that could bring to their small village. And to him in particular. It wasn’t his fault he had failed, the bastard had used fire on him! But if this little bitch was so confident riding out after him, why couldn’t she have also brought him back? It was supposed to be her job, wasn’t it?</p><p>He waved a hand at Paik, which was seemingly a signal for him to make himself scarce as he stood up and walked away almost immediately afterwards. Katara was on the verge of walking away herself, but kept seated. It was still possible Gow might have something of interest to say, whether he realised it or not.</p><p>“You should have brought the ashmaker back,” Gow muttered.</p><p>“<em>You </em>go get him if you’re that concerned,” Katara retorted.</p><p>“Well, if he’s not a threat, why would I? It’s not <em>my</em> job to go around hunting criminals.”</p><p>“Then what’s your problem?” Gow leaned back in his stool at her insolence, and fixed her with a detached yet lecherous stare. Katara felt his eyes rake up and down her body (to what end she wasn’t sure – her cloak hid any curves of interest) and wondered if this was another attempt by Gow at being intimidating. But given what had transpired a few nights ago, she knew it would also be suspect if she entertained him as if the incident hadn’t affected her. It hadn’t, but she didn’t think it would be to her benefit for anyone else to know that. Gow had done a marvellous job of discrediting himself further in the eyes of the villagers – and that was before Katara even had a genuine reason to need to manipulate him into that. Not pretending to be fearful of him could undo that, so Katara was sure to twitch uncomfortably as he stared her down. Her reaction seemed to satisfy him, and before long he too left the table. Paik almost instantly came hurrying back and fussing over her, but Katara decided to let him this time. It was possible she might need his help over the next few days.</p><p>****</p><p>After quizzing both Paik and Oli for more details, Katara had learned just who Hong’s supposed victim was, and where she could find her. It seemed that after that night, her father had kept her largely confined to the house, and implored the rest of the villagers not to speak of it. It was supposedly a great stain on their family. Katara wasn’t clear if the ‘stain’ came from the truth or the myth. Sentencing an innocent man to almost certain death for your own gains was something Katara reasoned she could probably see herself doing if the situation called for it, although intellectually she appreciated that was probably dishonourable to the ideals of society at large. She didn’t understand how being raped could stain a family, but she also held no interest in attempting to decipher the nuances of daily life in this little backwater. If Katara was being honest, she was severely tempted to just leave the village to their troubles and forget about Hong and this job she’d taken on.</p><p>And yet, somehow, she still found herself waking up early, alone, to begin scheming how she was going to pull this off. For some reason, part of her wanted to see this through to its conclusion. It <em>was </em>a job at the end of the day, even if Katara wasn’t being paid for it. But that just meant that if it all became too frustrating, she would just bow out and leave without another word. Maybe track Zuko down again and beat some life into him, if that’s what it took.</p><p>‘Why do I keep thinking about Zuko?’ she wondered idly. The firebender had really managed to get under her skin somehow, and Katara didn’t understand why. Nothing of interest had happened between them. Why did it seem to bother her so much that that was the case?</p><p>Katara had also spent a good deal of time considering just how to approach the merchant and his daughter. She knew that the girl’s father being present wasn’t something that Katara could allow. He would just get in the way and force the girl to clam up and not admit to anything.</p><p>The way Katara saw it, there were two ways she could play this. She could either completely suck up to both father and daughter, gain their trust, and somehow corner the daughter to get the real story…but that all seemed rather time-consuming. Katara had learned how to better blend in once she had decided to stay in Ganhan, but annoyingly her performances weren’t perfect. She had largely surrounded herself with her bounties, and she didn’t give a fuck what they saw or thought, or Ganhan’s needless soldiers, who seemed to like that she was brash and could sit through their crude banter without blushing or fluttering her pretty little eyelashes. Their banter largely consisted of trading insults, especially regarding their popularity and technique with the fairer sex, and gossip. For the sake of blending, Katara had readily joined in and found it was surprisingly easy, especially given the amount they all put away on an evening, and occasionally it was genuinely enjoyable, rather than just a way to pass the time before her next job. But the merchant’s family were going to be a very different kettle of fish, she supposed, and she hadn’t spent enough time amongst the remaining villagers to have gleaned how best to behave in a delicate situation such as this.</p><p>Which left the other option of creating a distraction large enough to draw the girl’s father out, but not so large that the entire village was equally drawn under the guise of ‘helping’, but was really just an excuse to flock and gawk at the spectacle. She had seen yesterday evening they were all perfectly capable of that. Katara had learned from Oli, who spilled pretty much everything Katara asked him, that the merchant kept his wares in a cellar beneath his shop. He was relatively wealthy, by Ganhan’s standards, and unlike most shopkeepers, he also owned a modest property just outside of the village proper where he lived with his family. Katara couldn’t help but think that if they were so wealthy, then how had his daughter ended up making a false accusation to pay their debt? But that wasn’t her problem. It was just information, a potential sensitive spot in which she could apply pressure if it seemed likely to be to her advantage.</p><p>What <em>was </em>her problem right now was finding an access point to the cellar undetected. She knew from Oli exactly which cellar belonged to the merchant, and she skulked around the alley in the early hours of the day. Disappointingly, there were no windows she could attempt to force open. She had found the door easily enough, but it was locked. She could freeze it and break it, of course, but it wasn’t a mere burglary she was attempting to stage. She didn’t know his daughter or her demeanour – Katara needed something that would draw her father away for longer than simply reporting the crime to the soldiers and letting them scramble a scapegoat. No, she needed it to appear as if it was a natural, if freak, occurrence. Something that would require a lot of clean-up and would keep him out of the house for a while.</p><p>A sudden movement near her feet caught her attention, and she saw it. None of the buildings in Ganhan were particularly well-cared for, and she couldn’t believe she hadn’t spotted it before. A noticeably large crack went up the wall, stretching almost halfway to the roof, but below it was a far less noticeable hole. Big enough for the rat that had caught her eye to scurry in… She crouched down onto her stomach, and attempted to peek in. The hole didn’t go all the way through to the cellar unfortunately, but there was no reason Katara couldn’t change that. She uncapped her waterskin, mindful to watch for any passers-by but there didn’t seem to be any at this early hour, and guided the water to what looked like the weakest point. After it had crystallised and frozen at her command, Katara switched positions so her feet were aligned with the hole. With a hard and swift kick, the already weakened materials almost instantly gave way. She winced at the loud clatter that echoed as chunks of both wall and ice crashed to the floor of the cellar below, but no-one other than Katara seemed to hear. Good. She peeked in quickly, and was pleased to see that she had her access point. She could just see the dark and dank cellar within, and could even make out the silhouettes of sacks of grain as her eyes adjusted to the darkness.</p><p>Satisfied, Katara got up onto her feet, and removed the lid of the barrel she had prepared for her plan. Handily, the barrel was already there and it had been far easier than it should have been to stream a ball of water from the central water tower into it. People really didn’t pay enough attention, even the soldiers supposedly on duty. Sleeping off their hangovers, most likely. She began to carelessly and haphazardly stream the water through the gap she had just created, wanting it to appear as though it had been an accident. An entire barrel probably wouldn’t do a lot of damage on its own, but with Katara’s guidance, the water managed to end up in the worst possible places, including on the sacks of grain. Most of which probably already had holes in, courtesy of the rats who had seemingly made a nest there. How unfortunate.</p><p>Once the barrel was almost empty, Katara tipped it on to its side, lining it up with the hole in the wall. The remnants within poured haphazardly out, wetting the ground as well as beginning a new trickle into the cellar itself. Katara nodded to herself.</p><p>Yes, a flooded store cellar should do nicely to distract the merchant.</p><p>****</p><p>“I’m sorry to disturb you,” Katara said in the most apologetic voice she could muster. “Is your name Fuhu?” The merchant stood before her in the doorway nodded as he tried to place the young woman in front of him. She was easily recogniseable, with her dark skin and big, blue eyes, and he had seen her in the tavern with the soldiers on the rare occasion he could bring himself to leave Ave. “I’m so sorry to be the bearer of bad news…” Katara began sweetly, before letting him know that his cellar had somehow flooded in the night. Almost instantly, Fuhu’s demeanour changed from one of polite interest to…actually, she wasn’t sure what it was. It seemed like panic and anger rolled into one. Either way, he was very upset by the news, which Katara could tell by the frantic way he pulled his boots on, hunted for his keys, and swore loudly that he could never find where his daughter hid the mop. Not having been invited in, Katara stood in the doorway and watched.</p><p>Fuhu practically shoved past her in his haste, before he remembered himself.</p><p>“I apologise,” he said brusquely. “But this is really bad. You’ll forgive me if I don’t invite you in.” Katara nodded. This suited Katara just fine. She imagined breaking in couldn’t be too difficult. She felt less concerned about covering her tracks this time. Judging by the way Earth Kingdom men seemed to think of women as incapable, delicate flowers who required constant manly supervision and protection, she doubted anyone would suspect her. As Fuhu ran down street, he suddenly turned back. “Hey, you’re the bounty hunter, aren’t you?” Katara nodded, bristling slightly. Well, no-one <em>would </em>have suspected her until they learned of her profession… “What’s your name?”</p><p>“Raina.”</p><p>“I feel awful asking this of you when we’ve only just met, Raina, but…could you do me a favour?” That piqued Katara’s interest. It turned out, the favour Fuhu was going to ask of her was to keep an eye on his daughter, Ave, who would otherwise be all alone at the house. Hardly able to believe her luck, Katara calmly replied that of course she would. Fuhu smiled gratefully at her, and went tearing back down the road to the village proper. Fuhu hadn’t thought to open the door for her, but that didn’t matter. Now that Katara had a legitimate reason to be here, she saw no need to attempt to conceal herself or her purpose. So, getting the merchant out of the way had proved surprisingly easy. Now for the difficult part…she hoped she could mimic emotions as well as she had in the swamp or the tavern the other night. Or that this ‘Ave’ was as simple as most people she came across. Either or suited her.</p><p>Ave was initially nonplussed to see Katara at the door after her father had departed so suddenly without warning, but once Katara explained that Fuhu had asked Katara to keep her company while he dealt with an urgent business matter, Ave rolled her eyes and invited Katara in.</p><p>“My father worries too much,” Ave muttered as she began preparing them tea. She had Katara take a seat at the table as a small fire flickered to life under the kettle. She set the spark rocks back on the side, and waited for the water to boil.</p><p>“How do you mean?” Katara asked.</p><p>“About me,” Ave clarified. “I’m sixteen, and he won’t let me leave the house. You’re actually the first person I’ve spoken to except him or my sister in months.” Katara nodded, hoping Ave would continue and trap herself without Katara having to lift a finger. But the younger girl fell quiet, and turned back to the pot. For someone who lamented that she hadn’t spoken to anyone in months, she seemed awfully skittish of the houseguest in front of her right now. Even if Katara hadn’t known the truth, she would have suspected something. She just likely wouldn’t have cared enough to bother probing otherwise. But still, this was all good experience, she supposed. Seeing as she wasn’t being paid for this job, she could just see it as practice for the future. Even if she monumentally fucked up here, there would always be more cases like this.</p><p>“Why do you think that is?” Katara asked innocently. To her surprise, this made Ave turn around and look her dead in the eye.</p><p>“I’m pretty sure you already know,” Ave murmured. “You’re…you’re the bounty hunter who brought him back, right?”</p><p>“I am, yes.” Ave shook her head sadly.</p><p>“They should never have made you do that,” she muttered. “They know what he did.”</p><p>‘And you and I both know what he <em>didn’t </em>do,’ Katara thought darkly.</p><p>“Actually, he gave me no trouble,” Katara countered. “And as it turns out, he’s quite an interesting person to talk to.” Ave flinched, but attempted to hide it by pointlessly lifting the kettle up and swirling the contents within it around. “That won’t make it boil faster,” Katara informed her.</p><p>“I-I know that,” Ave said hurriedly, placing it back onto the flame. “I just wanted to make sure the bottom didn’t burn, you know?” Katara said nothing. She folded her arms across her chest, but decided to let this play out for a bit longer. Ave was already reacting very nervously. Katara couldn’t afford to have her just run off.</p><p>Ave did indeed seem to take Katara’s silence as acceptance for her answer, and brought the cups of tea over once they were finished, seeming much calmer. Katara muttered a polite ‘thank you’, and as she drank, her eyes never left Ave. She had a rough plan in place for how she expected this conversation to go, but she appreciated she couldn’t account for human behaviour. It would be so much easier if Katara could just ambush her and tie her down until she forced the confession out of the girl, and she hadn’t yet ruled that out, but if they could keep it civilised, her mission had a higher chance of success. Ave certainly wouldn’t continue to co-operate with Katara once the truth was out if she went about it so roughly. And like it or not, Ave was the key to Hong’s salvation. Even if Katara could prove what Gow was doing, it didn’t prove Hong’s innocence. That was her job now, she’d decided. And this was proving to be more enjoyable than she had anticipated. She wondered just how much Ave would squirm before she confessed.</p><p>“Don’t you want to know what we talked about?” Katara finally prompted her when it was clear Ave had nothing to say. Ave shook her head furtively. “Are you sure?” Katara pressed. “It’s a really good story. You’re in it – did you know that?” Ave looked at her, shocked.</p><p>“What…what are you doing?”</p><p>“What?” Katara asked innocently, adopting the same wide-eyed expression that Ave had.</p><p>“I don’t…I don’t want to talk about that,” she insisted pleadingly.</p><p>‘No?’ Katara thought. ‘Too bad.’</p><p>“I just thought you’d be interested,” Katara shrugged. “He said he wanted to make his confession before the magistrate got here.”</p><p>“Yeah…sure,” Ave attempted to scoff. “Why would he tell <em>you</em>?”</p><p>“I wondered that myself actually,” Katara replied honestly.</p><p>“Well…” Ave said, clearly flustered. She took a sip of her own tea, her hands trembling. She couldn’t explain why, but something about this woman was making her very nervous, and on-edge. She seemed to know something, or thought she knew. Ave had half a mind to run there and then, but she knew that this woman was a bounty hunter. She wouldn’t get very far. Katara had realised this, too. “What did he have to say then? That he’s sorry? That he regrets being such a monster? Because I don’t want-”</p><p>“I think you and I both know what he said,” Katara interjected coldly, narrowing her eyes. At that, Ave stood up.</p><p>“I think I’ve taken up too much of your time already,” she said shakily. “I-I think it’s best if you leave.” Katara sat back in her seat and folded her arms across her chest.</p><p>“I don’t have anywhere to be,” she said casually.</p><p>“Well <em>I </em>do, so please-”</p><p>“You haven’t left the house in months,” Katara pointed out, standing up herself and considering her options on how to proceed. On impulse, she reached out one hand and tenderly stroked Ave’s cheek. Ave froze at the gesture. Katara failed to understand why so many people found it unnerving – she had always believed it was supposed to be comforting. It was what mothers did to their children, what lovers did to each other. “Hey,” Katara said softly. “If you don’t want my help, that’s your choice.” She removed her hand and stepped away. “I just sure hope that that flood isn’t bad enough to put your family into debt again.”</p><p>“F-flood?”</p><p>“Yeah. Your father’s cellar got flooded. Did I forget to mention that?” Ave visibly paled before her, and Katara fought the urge to smirk. <em>That </em>had riled her up, the mention of debt. ‘I should have just led with that,’ she chastised herself for not thinking of it sooner. “It sounded pretty bad. Lots of sacks destroyed, gone to waste.” Katara had of course known already that falling back into debt was a danger her actions had posed. Not that she had intentionally used that to her advantage. That would have been diabolical…fun, though. Pulling the strings and making them dance to her will, watching as everything came together as she had planned. “But hey, you seem to have a nice house. I’m sure your family will be able to cope,” she said mock-reassuringly. Ave was on the verge of breaking, she knew. Just a mere mention of a possible future debt had been enough to unravel her.</p><p>Ave did indeed break. But not in the way Katara wanted. Instead, the girl simply burst into tears.</p><p>“No,” she whispered desperately. “No, no we can’t afford that…”</p><p>“Why are you crying?” Katara asked. “If you don’t want your father to be sent away, you can always just talk to the commander again, right?”</p><p>“Stop it!” Ave begged her. “You…you’re not from here, you don’t understand.”</p><p>“But I do understand,” Katara said calmly. “I understand that last time, you made a deal. And I understand that the man you accused is going to swing from a noose next week because you lied about him.”</p><p>“I had no choice!” Ave sobbed. It occurred to Katara then, and only then, that although Ave hadn’t been raped as she had claimed, she may been severely intimidated, maybe even coerced, into lying by the commander. Katara sometimes forgot that not everyone found his antics amusing or just pathetic. Now that she thought of that, Katara realised that perhaps she should have been gentler with her. Oh well, too late for that now. But she did decide to reel it in somewhat. “Please, I-”</p><p>“No, you had a choice. You chose to save your own skin.” Katara paused as she let that sink in. “It’s okay. I get it. I’d probably do the same thing, so no judgement there.” She walked back up to Ave, who despite her tremoring, managed to meet Katara’s gaze through her tears. “But then, I’m not a very nice person,” Katara continued softly. “Or a good one, now I think about it. Does that sort of thing matter to <em>you</em>, Ave?” She cocked her head to the side as Ave sniffed. “It’s okay if it doesn’t,” Katara reassured her sincerely. “Really. I get it. But…do me a favour and tell me so I can stop wasting my time?” Internally, Katara sighed at herself. Whatever role she had been hoping to play off here was proving to be a much tougher one to keep up. Katara knew she was treating Ave like a bounty (which in a way she was) and in doing so, had allowed her real personality to spill out. It seemed to be producing results, though, so she was reluctant to rein it in too much. And she had to admit, this was <em>fun</em>. And it wasn’t as if she intended to stay anyway. Even if this girl wasn’t a recluse, it really didn’t matter what anyone said.</p><p>“I am a good person,” Ave said weakly.</p><p>“Are you?” Katara queried. “Doesn’t seem like it to me.”</p><p>“I made a mistake, okay?” Ave burst out. “That doesn’t make me evil!”</p><p>“You’re right. It doesn’t,” Katara conceded calmly, not reacting to Ave’s outburst. She began pacing, as if deep in thought as she uttered, “So, since it clearly matters to you, you don’t want to believe you’re a bad person. That doesn’t really fit with what you did though, does it? For what it’s worth, Hong understands. He gets that you did this for your family.” Ave froze but attempted (poorly) to conceal it.</p><p>“I…I don’t believe you,” she stammered, trying to appear tougher than she felt. “You’re just trying to make me feel worse.”</p><p>Katara stopped, and turned to study Ave once more. She tried to hide it, but the shock and guilt were written plainly on her face. “Oh, that did make you feel something, didn’t it?” Katara remarked curiously. “What should we do about that, do you think?”</p><p>“What do you want me to do? I’m just sixteen! I’m a nobody…I can’t do anything to help him. Not without…”</p><p>“Telling the truth,” Katara concluded for her. “Why are you so afraid of that?”</p><p>“You don’t get it!” Ave protested. “If they find out I lied, they’ll throw <em>me </em>in the cells. You have no idea what a big deal it is.”</p><p>“Clearly you do but you did it anyway.”</p><p>“I did it for my family! I don’t have any brothers, and…and my father’s in good health. They’d send him away if we couldn’t pay!” She sank down onto the floor and drew her knees to her chest.</p><p>“You were blackmailed,” Katara shrugged, and crouched down before taking a seat on the floor next to Ave. To her credit, Ave didn’t shy away from the proximity.</p><p>“Not exactly,” Ave whispered. “He offered and…I said yes.” She suddenly seemed much calmer. Now that she had had her cry and her fit, Katara hoped this meant she would be more open to reason.</p><p>“Well that’s okay. It’s not the first time you’ve made something up,” Katara reasoned. “Besides, you had to get those injuries from somewhere,” she pointed out. “I didn’t see them but I don’t think you did it to yourself.”</p><p>“I didn’t,” Ave confirmed. She sighed. “I-I shouldn’t have done it, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?”</p><p>“No,” Katara shook her head. “I want to hear what you’re going to do about it.”</p><p>“I already said I can’t do anything,” Ave mumbled in defeat. “He’s the commander…he’ll do what he wants and he’ll take what he wants and he’ll just keep getting away with it. You must have seen that, right?”</p><p>“I have,” Katara accepted. She turned to face the younger woman. “But come on, Ave, this isn’t just about you or even Hong.” Ave sniffed, and looked at Katara in confusion.</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Did you never stop and think to ask <em>why </em>Gow wanted you to do this?” Fuck, Ave’s head really <em>was </em>buried in the sand if that had never occurred to her. So she had just blindly stumbled along following Gow’s bidding, not asking nor questioning, and just casually pointed an accusing finger at an innocent man for a crime which was reputed to carry the death penalty. Either Ave really was simple, or she was just as cold as Katara. It was possible, she mused. If Ave was more practiced than her, had lived with the condition for longer, it was absolutely possible that this was all <em>her </em>act.</p><p>“No,” Ave replied honestly. “He…he kind of scared me, so-”</p><p>“You just went along with it,” Katara concluded, shaking her head with contempt. “Oh well, I guess that’s good for Gow. Now he knows how easily you’ll say yes. Your family will probably never have to worry about being in debt again. Depending on how far you’re willing to go.”</p><p>“Or, of course, he could ask you anyway,” Katara mused out loud. “I mean, you could get locked up yourself if people found out, right? He’s always going to have that over you.”</p><p>Ave flinched again at Katara’s words. Katara of course had no way of knowing if it was true. Nor did she need to. She had just needed to plant that seed in Ave’s head. And it seemed to be taking root quite beautifully, judging by her fretful breathing. She obviously had no clue what was going on in Ave’s head right now, but it was visibly affecting her. Perhaps she was imagining all the things Gow might make her do in the future. Katara decided to let her.</p><p>But then it occurred to her there was still one tile on the board that she couldn’t account for.</p><p>“I have to ask,” Katara piped up brightly all of a sudden, “wasn’t your father suspicious when the debt suddenly disappeared?”</p><p>“We just had a dry spell,” Ave sighed. “He made enough to pay it all back a few days later, so…I guess it didn’t cross his mind. Not after what happened.”</p><p>“Not after what you <em>said </em>happened,” Katara pointed out blithely. Ave could only nod in response. At least she seemed to have accepted her role in it now. The rest of this conversation, and her plan, may go a little easier now. But then something Ave had said struck her. “Hold on. You said your father made enough to pay it all back. So Gow took the money anyway?”</p><p>“He always was going to,” Ave nodded. “I didn’t…the deal wasn’t to pay off the debt. It was just to buy my father some time.” Katara nodded, mulling it over. Well…that was new information. Katara let out a low hum. She had to admit, she was impressed. His machinations were near foolproof. Ave was too afraid of being tossed into the cells to admit anything and her father wouldn’t grow suspicious, because the debt hadn’t ceased to be due, it just got pushed back. It was actually a bit genius, Katara couldn’t help but think.</p><p>Why did Gow have to be so ugly? She was almost attracted to him right now, to know that his mind worked so darkly, so calculatedly.</p><p>But then, perhaps she was giving him too much credit. He certainly hadn’t used any such wiles when he had been trying to “seduce” Katara. At that time, he hadn’t had a clever plot nor even a charade with which to attempt to charm her. His only concern had been getting to hungrily paw at her naked body. She had to remember, he was a brute who used his bulkiness to intimidate. That was all he was about. Katara doubted if he was actually <em>clever </em>enough to concoct his scheme that way. It had probably just been dumb luck that the dice fell so as to work so well in his favour. When he was the one in the cells, Katara had half a mind to ask him.</p><p>“What…<em>did </em>he do?” Ave asked her after a long silence.</p><p>“Gow?” Ave nodded. “He was selling military secrets to the Fire Nation. Hong caught him one night, and…that’s where you came in, I guess.”</p><p>“Oh shit…” Ave breathed. That was <em>awful</em>. Spirits, what had she done? She had assumed…well, she hadn’t assumed. She had just been so relieved that her dad wasn’t about to be shipped off that she had gone along with it, not thinking of the consequences other than that it meant her father could stay at home. She hadn’t anticipated it would mean being locked up for her own wellbeing. She had also tried very hard to forget that the once-faceless man she had accused could actually be put to death for her actions. It had been easier to just tell herself she had been justified because she was protecting her family. But now that she knew the truth about him, she felt sick and disgusted with herself. All he had been trying to do was protect his country...</p><p>“I agree,” Katara said. “I want to make this right, but I don’t think it’ll work without your help. If you don’t want Hong’s death on your conscience, you have to confess.” Katara knew she was really drilling it in, but there was no time for subtlety. Hong may have only literal days to live. “I can’t force you,” Katara told her. As much as she wanted to, it wouldn’t work. “It has to come from you. So I ask you again, what are you going to do about it?”</p><p>It might be nothing, Katara knew. Ave could refuse. But the more she spoke to the girl, the less convinced Katara became that she and Ave were of a kind. Which meant appealing to her morality could actually work. It depended how desperate she was to save herself, Katara supposed. She had clearly been coerced into it so there shouldn’t even be any repercussions. It just required Ave to have a little courage.</p><p>Beside her, Ave nodded, and turned to Katara, her eyes glimmering with resolve.</p><p>“Tell me what I need to do.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There you have it folks. I will be honest, I'm not 100% sure about the last scene but I just couldn't bring myself to cut it. I kind of liked writing Katara as an interrogator. And like Katara concluded, it's all good practice... I know Ave seemed to break far too easily, but then she's sixteen with a good reason to fear for her safety, and what she did MUST have been weighing on her.</p><p>I am also interested to hear what your thoughts are on Katara and Zuko's scene. I mapped out so many different scenarios in my head, but this one just felt the truest to their characters in my view. Even if you hated it, rest assured there will be plenty more coming up.</p><p>I have just been told by my work that I'm going back up to full time hours next week (boo) so updates will be slower from now on (double boo). I'll try to keep updating once a week, but I can't make any promises. I do still expect Chapter 7 to be up next week though.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Red Haze</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara's investigation comes to a head, and Zuko decides to confront his latest demon.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>All right, guys, fair warning this is a LONG-ASS chapter. The only way I could realistically shorten it was by relocating the last scene to Chapter 8, but that would have just had a dominoes effect, so here, have a long-ass chapter. Hopefully it will be enough to keep you going since updates will be more sporadic from hereon in.</p><p>There is a certain moment in the last scene I would like to dedicate to Sgreenread, who commented on Chapter 6 - I would never have thought of that without you.</p><p>There is violence in this chapter. I don't personally think it requires a 'warning' but just so you're aware.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As he had done all morning, Paik jumped up eagerly when the door to the jail opened once more. Corporal Metan shot him an odd look as he walked through, but continued on his way without saying anything. Anyone who had been paying the slightest bit of attention to their greenleaf could see how he felt about the bounty hunter. She had been giving him the cold shoulder over the last few days, and it was clearly getting to the younger man. But it wasn’t something Metan particularly wanted to talk about and, he suspected, neither did Paik.</p><p>Once Metan had carried out his inspection of the cells, a formality more than anything else as they currently only had the one prisoner, he left, nodding to Paik on his way out. Paik slumped on the table as soon as the door closed behind the corporal. After riding out after the firebender, Raina seemed to have completely lost interest in him. He kept telling himself it had only happened last night, he was being ridiculous, she had probably just been exhausted…but if he was being honest, Raina had been distant over the last few days in general. She had never been the warmest person, unsurprising for a bounty hunter, but he also knew there was something else. Something different, but he couldn’t place his finger on it no matter how it gnawed at him. He had heard from one of his comrades that, to everyone’s surprise, Raina had arrived at the jail yesterday afternoon and sat and talked with Hong for quite a while. Could that have something to do with it? Paik half-considered having a conversation of his own with Hong, demanding to know what they had spoken about and try and gauge if that had anything to do with Raina’s sudden coldness, but then he thought better of it. How would it look if the other men found out he had gone lamenting all of his woes to their prisoner?</p><p>Paik was curious, though. He hadn’t asked why Hong had wanted to speak with her, hadn’t felt it was his place, but he was beginning to deeply regret that hesitation. Had the man said something to upset her? Was that why she had been so aggressive yesterday, when he had only tried to protect her and stop her from charging out unprepared against a lunatic firebender? Raina was a bounty hunter, yes, and a damn good one judging by the number of logs she had cleared from their bounty book, but all of them had been non-benders like her. He didn’t want to see her get hurt out of an obligation she may have felt to the village. But Paik had also seen something else in Raina yesterday as she had slammed him against the wall. The expression on her face, the glint in her eyes, had been so cold, so menacing…and dangerously wild. It wasn’t an expression he had ever seen on her before, but he reasoned it was probably one her bounties were familiar with. She must have just got caught up in the heat of the moment. Paik could honestly say he hadn’t felt <em>fear </em>in that moment, but it had definitely unnerved him.</p><p>And <em>why</em>, when the firebender had left Ganhan of his own volition, had she ridden out after him? Paik had no idea what Raina must have been thinking and had come very close to saddling up an ostrich-horse himself. If only the commander hadn’t called him back and ordered him to stay put whilst they all debriefed about what had just transpired, and figured out a plan of action should the man return, with or without troops. None of them were quite sure if he really had been the Prince as he’d boasted, but Commander Gow and Lieutenant Xoh had agreed to increase the perimeter patrols around the village for the next few weeks, just in case. For the sake of gathering intel, his commander had insisted on joining him in the tavern whilst Paik had waited fretfully for Raina’s return, not even able to be certain if she would or <em>could </em>return depending on what the firebender had done. But according to her, the firebender had been no trouble and was definitely not a threat. Not one willing to trust the word of a woman, the commander had decided to proceed with his plan to increase patrols anyway. Which, Paik couldn’t help but think, begged the question as to why the commander couldn’t have just let them have their evening together if he wasn’t intending to act on what she had experienced. But Paik was a lowly greenleaf, and Gow was the commander. It wasn’t for Paik to question his superior officers’ decisions.</p><p>The next time the door opened, Paik lifted his head with only mild interest, before his eyes widened and he immediately stood up straight. Raina.</p><p>“Paik,” she said simply, closing the door behind her. “We need to talk. Is there somewhere private we can go?” Paik’s stomach dropped slightly at her words, but he knew she was right. They <em>did </em>need to talk.</p><p>“Yes,” Paik agreed solemnly. “We do.” Raina raised her eyebrows but followed him mutely as he led her into the small office at the back of the jail. It was really a space for officers to go through paperwork in peace, but Paik knew they were all busy scoping out the perimeter this morning. They wouldn’t be back until lunch was served at the earliest.</p><p>As soon as he closed the door behind them, he rounded on her. “What were you <em>thinking</em>, Raina?!” he said desperately. “Why did you go out after him? Do you have any idea what could have happened? Do you have any idea how dangerous firebenders are?” Raina narrowed her eyes at him.</p><p>“Some,” was all she said in response.</p><p>“Look, I know you’re a bounty hunter,” Paik added hastily, sensing he had irritated her with his tirade. “I know you can take care of yourself. But…fuck, a <em>firebender! </em>And you were all alone! He could have…” Paik trailed off, not wanting to think about what the firebender could have done to her. He could have done <em>anything </em>to her. He could have burnt her, kidnapped her, raped her, killed her…</p><p>“Why wouldn’t I go alone?” Raina asked him, sounding genuinely confused by his outburst.</p><p>“Why did you go at all?” Paik countered. “Please, Raina, please just answer me that.” Raina regarded him for a moment as she considered her response. He wished he could see inside that mind of hers. She was impossible to read at times, and Paik honestly had no idea what was going through her head right now.</p><p>Eventually, she spoke, “I thought he might have some information I needed. He didn’t.” She shrugged.</p><p>“What information?” Raina shook her head, to which Paik sighed despondently. Fine. She could have her secrets. “I was worried sick about you,” he muttered quietly.</p><p>“Why?” she frowned, once again confused.</p><p>“What are you…are you serious?” Paik said incredulously. “Because I <em>care </em>about you, Raina! I don’t want anything to happen to you!”</p><p>“Oh…” She sounded genuinely surprised. Paik’s stomach dropped again. Had she thought he only saw her as someone to lie with? Perhaps initially that had been all it was, but Paik liked her beyond that. He didn’t know why sometimes. She could be very strange, and not always in a charming, quirky way. But he did. As he looked back up at her, her eyes were cast downward, but she matched his movement, and her expression now was much softer than he thought he had ever seen on her before. She sighed. “I’m sorry, Paik, that’s very nice but can I say my thing now? We don’t have a lot of time.” Paik gestured for her to continue. “I’m not sure if you know, but I talked to Hong yesterday.” Paik nodded. “He had a very interesting story to tell, but it needs to be kept to the right people. I have to ask, what do you think of Gow?” Now it was Paik’s turn to frown in confusion.</p><p>“Uh, well he’s my commander,” he began uncertainly. “I have to follow his orders. I don’t have much choice there.”</p><p>“Are you loyal?”</p><p>“To my country, yes.” Just what was she getting at?</p><p>“Can you keep a secret?” Paik nodded. As strangely as Raina was behaving now, he also couldn’t help feeling oddly flattered that she trusted him with this, whatever it was.</p><p>And so she told him. Everything that Hong had reported to her. And Paik didn’t want to believe it. Any of it. His commander was harsh but he’d always thought he was fair. And certainly not a traitor to the kingdom!</p><p>“He…he has to be lying,” Paik bristled. “Trying to save his own skin.”</p><p>“He wasn’t,” Raina replied. “I could tell.”</p><p>“So why did he never say anything before?” Paik challenged.</p><p>“I imagine it has something to do with the way you’re reacting now,” she observed. “He didn’t think anyone would believe him.”</p><p>“Well he’s right,” Paik said indignantly. “That creep was just playing you, Raina. He’s talking shit.”</p><p>“Do you believe me?”</p><p>“I…I believe that you believed him, yes.”</p><p>“All right,” she said slowly. “So if I told you that your precious commander tried to seduce me a few nights ago, and then knocked me to the floor when I said no, would you believe that?” Paik looked up at her in shock. He shook his head. No, no his commander wouldn’t do that…would he? He had seemed very angry that Paik had slept with Raina…but he had been pissed at him about the boasting, surely? And yet Paik couldn’t help but remember that the commander had even suggested he <em>share </em>Raina with the others, as if she was a bottle of whiskey to be passed around the company. But that had been in jest!</p><p>Hadn’t it?</p><p>“Ask Oli,” Raina encouraged. “He saw everything.” She looked so sincere…and Paik knew that she wasn’t lying. And now Paik was angry. Very angry. He was torn between pulling Raina into a warm embrace and promising her that that bastard would never hurt her again, and marching out to confront his commander right now, damn anyone who saw!</p><p>“I’m going to kill him,” Paik muttered agitatedly as he began pacing. “I am going to fucking <em>kill </em>him!”</p><p>“Calm down, Paik.”</p><p>“No! I won’t calm down! He…he <em>hit </em>you! He tried to bed you!” Spirits, no <em>wonder </em>Raina had been so withdrawn and cold lately! She must have been terrified. She must have thought that if Gow saw the two of them close again, it would only make things worse… Oh fuck, and Gow had been there last night too! And Paik had just left her alone with him unquestioningly. Guilt flooded his system as he realised his mistake, temporarily displacing the seething anger he felt towards that bastard. Now all he wanted to do was hold her. He marched up to her and gathered her up in his arms. Raina stiffened at his contact, but drew her arms around him as well. “I’m so sorry, Raina. I…how are you so calm about this?” He felt Raina stiffen again.</p><p>“Uh, I guess I’ve just had a few days…” she trailed off weakly. Paik squeezed her tightly. She was so brave. She was trying to move past it…and she had done it on her own. Again. When would she realise that she didn’t have to do everything alone? Paik would be there for her. But then, she’d also seemed to believe that Paik was only interested in her body…like the commander… Before he knew it, Paik was angry again. He pulled away from her and began pacing once more, muttering under his breath about how the commander was as good as dead for what he had done to Raina.</p><p>Raina raised her eyebrows sceptically. “That’s what you’re bothered about?” she questioned. “Not the fact that he’s betraying his country?” Right now, yes that was exactly what was bothering Paik. Though deep inside, he knew she had a point. That <em>was </em>a more pressing issue, regardless of his feelings for Raina. But it just seemed so unbelievable…it didn’t make sense. What could Gow possibly have to gain by selling secrets to the Fire Nation?</p><p>“How can you be sure Hong wasn’t lying?” Paik asked her warily.</p><p>“If all he wanted to do was cover his ass, why make up such an unbelievable story? Why tell only me?” Paik nodded, outwardly calm but a small storm had whipped up a frenzy in his stomach. What was he supposed to do about this? What <em>could </em>he do about this? If it was true, then they had to put a stop to it somehow. Calling in reinforcements would be their best bet, most likely. But it would take an officer to be able to make that call. A greenleaf like Paik didn’t have the authority to summon them, and if his request wasn’t merely laughed out of headquarters, he could risk being pulled up himself for insubordination and wasting their time. Unless he had proof somehow…but how could you even go about proving something like this? He asked Raina that question, to which she seemed to soften further. “That’s actually why I came to you. I knew you could probably be trusted, of course, but I also need to look at the books.”</p><p>Paik frowned at her in confusion. “Why…why would you need to see those?”</p><p>“He has to be getting something in return for the information.” She decided against telling him that a drunken Lieutenant Xoh had once let slip that among Paik’s errand-boy duties was helping to manage the commander’s personal funds. Gow reportedly had a tendency to forget how much he put away on gambling and drinking (amongst other leisure pursuits, she imagined) and Paik was known to have the best head for numbers in their small company. Paik was already sceptical. She thought it would have more impact if he spotted the evidence for himself, if there was any to find.</p><p>“I don’t know, Raina…<em>I </em>shouldn’t even be allowed to see them, not really. I’m not sure if I can just show you.”</p><p>“Come on, Paik,” she implored, stepping closer to him. “Don’t you want to do something about this? For your country? It would be a really brave thing to do…”</p><p>“What makes you so sure there will even be anything in there? He probably keeps it all hidden.”</p><p>“I can’t be sure, that’s why I want to look,” she pointed out obviously. Paik was still hesitant. She sighed. “If you’re that worried about it, just give <em>me </em>the book. You don’t have to have any more involvement.” And leave her to deal with it on her own? Again? Paik didn’t like that idea either. He half-wished Raina had never come to him with this information. But she was determined, he could tell. He knew that if he didn’t give in, she would find some way to get what she wanted anyway. And if everything that had been said was true, and the books did reveal Gow was flusher in gold than he had any right to be…</p><p>And Paik <em>did </em>have access to the commander’s personal safe. When the wage caravan came in roughly once a month, Gow usually just deposited his own coins with Paik’s wages, knowing that Paik was too jumpy to even think about doing anything with it save for counting it and storing it for him. He hadn’t felt comfortable about it, until his commander told him it was his job to follow orders. And so Paik did as he was bade, and the commander was seemingly impressed enough that he continued to bid Paik to track and manage his funds for him. It was an open secret in their barracks that this was one of Paik’s extra duties, one which a lesser man may well have tried to play to his own advantage or just stir dissent, but Paik had too much honour for that. Once he was entrusted with something, neither fire nor high water could budge him, or so he had always believed. But this situation was different. There was more at stake here, <em>if </em>Hong’s story was true. Paik still wasn’t completely convinced it was, but he did believe in Raina. And if Raina was convinced, that meant there likely was more to it than just a web Hong had spun to try and stay his execution if he was found guilty.</p><p> Part of him was impressed that Raina had thought of this. He wouldn’t have done. He didn’t understand how the commander had slipped it past him, but without scrutinising the ledger for himself, he would never know. And Raina was right, it would be a brave thing to do, given the risks if he was caught. And Paik wanted to be brave. It was why he had enlisted in the Army…</p><p>As they pored over the figures, Paik spotted it first. “This…doesn’t make any sense,” he mused. Raina moved to read the line of the ledger that had caught Paik’s attention over his shoulder. Every time their wages came in, only the lump sum was counted and recorded. Lieutenant Xoh then distributed the gold amongst the men according to an unseen criteria, so that each man would only know what his own wages were. It seemed unnecessarily bureaucratic to Paik, but it was the way it was. And the lump sums that had been recorded over the last few months, since Paik had joined, didn’t add up. At all. Not considering how much the commander supposedly earned… Paik hadn’t been able to help but notice that the pouch containing the commander’s gold had always been much more swollen than his own, but he had just reasoned it was because of their vastly different stations. He had never had a reason to question it. Until now. And the amounts that Gow handed to him just…they couldn’t be right, not after looking at the lump sum…</p><p>He fitfully explained his findings to Raina, who nodded thoughtfully but failed to conceal a small smile. She clearly thought he was onto something too. “I’ll be right back,” he told her suddenly, and left the room.</p><p>He shook his head. He must have got it wrong somewhere. He must have miscounted. He didn’t want to believe that someone in the army would stoop so low… He checked to make sure no-one was around. It wouldn’t be unusual for anyone to be here during the day, but after the incident yesterday everyone else was either scouting the perimeter was patrolling the village, to provide a comforting presence lest the firebender return. Once Paik was happy he was alone, he pulled out the small key he kept on him at all times, and twisted it in the lock. His heart was pounding, although he wasn’t sure if it was with fear or nervous excitement, and drew the heavy iron door back.</p><p>“Fuck…” he breathed.</p><p>“More there than there should be?” Raina remarked behind him, causing him to jump out of his skin and let out a less than manly shriek of surprise. Raina snorted at his outburst, but didn’t comment on it. She crouched down beside Paik, and rested a hand on his shoulder.</p><p>“Much more,” Paik muttered bitterly. “You have…you have no idea…”</p><p>“Hey,” she said, her tone surprisingly gentle. “You did good. It’s better you found out now than not at all, right?” Paik sighed.</p><p>“But how does this help? It doesn’t prove anything, even with the books.”</p><p>Raina nodded. “You’re right, it doesn’t. But it does give us an idea when his next meeting will be, doesn’t it? I’m going to take a wild guess that Hong was arrested <em>right </em>before your wages turned up that month, wasn’t he?” Paik raised his head, realisation dawning on him. She was right. He had been, the night before in fact. He nodded silently.</p><p>“This won’t be enough,” Paik sighed defeatedly. “No-one will believe this. <em>I </em>don’t wanna believe it. The only way we could really prove this is if we somehow caught him red-handed.”</p><p>“I agree,” Raina nodded. “So…when’s the next caravan due?”</p><p>****</p><p>Two days had passed and for some unfathomable reason that frustrated him to no end, Zuko couldn’t seem to get the encounter with the waterbender out of his mind. He had no idea why it had rattled him so much. His fists had been blazing when she had found him, and yet it hadn’t seemed to intimidate her in the slightest. He knew from previous fights with her that she wasn’t easily cowed, but she had also never been so completely unfazed by him. It was like she knew how pitiable a condition he was in, and assessed that he wasn’t a threat. Well he would show her. The next time they came across each other, her would make sure she knew it had just been a one-off and not to treat him so casually again!</p><p>Except, they weren’t enemies anymore. Zuko himself had been the one to say it. At the time, it had just been his exhaustion speaking, but the longer he dwelled on it, the more disgusted he became with himself. He really <em>was </em>weak, he decided. His father was right. He had been right to punish him, right to banish him, and right to want to ensure that Zuko didn’t continue to embarrass the Royal family. If an imprisoned son was better than a banished son, Zuko knew he must have really gone wrong somewhere…he liked to think that his father was a reasonable, if hot-headed, man. He wouldn’t despise Zuko for no reason. Despite how hard he had tried, though, Zuko was just a fuck-up. It was no wonder his father despaired of him.</p><p>And he had fucked up with the waterbender as well. True, he did have no reason to hunt the Avatar anymore and had indeed called off his quest in his mind, but why had he been stupid enough to admit that? To the Avatar’s waterbender of all people! He growled in frustration. What was <em>wrong </em>with him?</p><p>The one saving grace of the encounter had been that she herself had been acting very strangely. He didn’t believe for one second that she had split from the annoying little Avatar, but he still couldn’t figure out just why she would lie about that. Had she been more afraid than she’d let on? Did she think if she told him that, he was less likely to attack her? That could make sense…but Zuko had by that point already informed her he was no longer searching, so what would have been the point?</p><p>Zuko wished he could just forget about it. He wished he could just move on and never have to see any of their faces again. But something gnawed at him. Why had she followed him, only to taunt him? Well…he supposed she hadn’t, not really. And she herself had conceded that they weren’t enemies anymore. That thought still caused a strange feeling in his stomach at times, but it was only ever fleeting.</p><p>The waterbender didn’t seem like a liar…but clearly, she was less honourable than he had given her credit for. She had lied to his face about being alone. He had no idea what twisted little game they were trying to play. Probably just trying to throw him off the scent. She probably hadn’t believed him either, he realised. So she had decided to try and rile him up instead. Well, if that was her aim, he thought smugly, he was very sorry to disappoint but it wouldn’t bloody work! And he had half a mind to follow her and let her know in no uncertain terms that was the case. See how <em>she </em>liked it.</p><p>Not that she didn’t already know what it was like being followed by Zuko. He had chased them across the world after all, from Pole to Pole. All right, fine, so that wouldn’t faze her but maybe they needed to know just how little they had fazed him. Show them that just because he was no longer hunting them, it did <em>not </em>mean that he was to be trifled with. The waterbender had seemed particularly desperate for a fight. Maybe this time he would give her one, and wipe that satisfied smirk off her face. He wouldn’t attempt to injure her, of course. There was no honour in that, given that she was no longer his enemy. Unless she had in fact lied about that, too…spirits, it was so confusing!</p><p>He shook himself and took a swig of water from his canteen, as if that would clear his head. The ostrich-horse nickered beside him. Sighing, Zuko reached into his pack for one of the snacks Sela had packed for the creature along with the meals for himself, and tossed it in the animal’s direction.</p><p>Would they just keep doing this, he wondered. Had it been a fluke, because he had just happened to stumble upon them? Had they heard that he had been disowned by his country and decided to toy with him for their own amusement? He imagined the Wanted posters would be up by now, littered across the Earth Kingdom for all and sundry to see just how far he had fallen from grace. Zuko had no doubt they were offering a handsome reward for his capture. The thought was almost oddly flattering…at least he still had <em>some </em>worth, he mused.</p><p>Oh…was that what they were doing? Trying to capture him for the reward, come into some funds they probably desperately needed? They were a ragtag group of peasants at the end of the day. Not that he was any better off than them right now. No, that didn’t make sense. He had been so pathetic that the waterbender, had she wanted to capture him, could have taken him easily. Instead she had begrudgingly accepted his wish for a ceasefire between them, and then gone on to ask him for advice about the earthbender…which also made no sense…even if she had a reason for wanting to know, what trouble could that idiot possibly have given the Avatar? And <em>why </em>had she invited Zuko of all people to possibly back her up?</p><p>Not that he cared of course! Girls really were just crazy, he decided. He had used to think that was just Azula and her friends, but clearly the waterbender was just as crazy. And doing a wonderful job of getting under his skin.</p><p>Resolved though he tried to be to just forget it and move on, the questions continued to plague Zuko. Until eventually he decided he had had enough. It wasn’t okay. The waterbender chasing him, their taunting him for his weakness. No. It didn’t matter how far he had fallen, he was still Zuko of the Fire Nation. And Zuko of the Fire Nation was sick and tired of being trodden on by fate, the spirits or whatever other bastard was making such a mockery of his life. He had actually been able to eat and get some rest now, not having left his camp over the last couple of days. No-one else had come for him, including the waterbender, and truthfully he hadn’t seen another soul since she had left. This matter clearly wasn’t going to leave him in peace until it was settled. And this time, no matter what happened, he wouldn’t be weak.</p><p>As the evening gave way to night, Zuko mounted his ostrich-horse once more and took off in the direction of the village.</p><p>****</p><p>Katara watched the sun sink below the horizon from her room at the inn, and she knew it was time to move. She patted down her black travelling cloak, and tied her hair up in a loose, messy ponytail before pulling on her black fingerless gloves. There was only one piece missing, the black bandana she used to conceal her face when stealth was the order of the day, but it didn’t seem necessary this time. She wasn’t attempting to conceal her identity or appear intimidating. The only reason she was wearing her cloak was so that she could lie in wait in the darkness, undetected and undisturbed.</p><p>She breezed through the tavern, with no-one other than Oli giving her a second glance. She was in her usual get-up. As far as anyone knew, she was just on her way out to another job. She and Oli nodded at each other, and she made her way out onto the mostly-deserted street. Even though three days had elapsed, people still seemed to be afraid to be out at night, lest the fearsome firebender return and probably kidnap their children to devour them or some such nonsense. Katara suspected that if Zuko or any other Fire Nation soldiers turned up, their being locked in their houses wasn’t going to prevent abductions or senseless deaths. If anything, it made the prospect of an unpleasant death by fiery inferno <em>more </em>likely. But it suited her purposes for this evening, and she would gladly take advantage of the quiet thoroughfare to carry out her plan.</p><p>As far as Katara could, she had got everything lined up. All she had to do now was get into position, and wait. And force herself to trust that no-one else involved would fuck up in some way. Katara was loath to have to rely on anyone else for her plan to work, but she had to reluctantly admit that they were necessary. And at least Katara was really only doing this as a favour. If anyone screwed up, it was on them and they would be the ones to face the consequences. They would be the ones who would stay and have to deal with any aftermath. Katara didn’t. As soon as this was done, she planned on beating a dignified retreat towards more exciting climes. She just wasn’t too taken with the idea of it all falling apart because someone hadn’t been able to keep up their end. She prided herself on always getting the job done, whether she was paid at the end or not. She figured having that reputation would make it easier to be taken seriously when she claimed her next bounties.</p><p>Katara skulked down the alley, as had been pre-agreed with Paik. She clambered onto the barrel and stood upright, pulling herself onto the low-hanging roof. Now that the darkness had enveloped Ganhan, her black attire really came into its own. Not that there was anyone around to observe her. Once on the roof, she sank down and lay on her stomach, creeping forward until she could just see over the edge of the eaves into the alley below. As she waited, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat satisfied with how well it all seemed to be coming together.</p><p>It was only two days ago that she had brought Paik in on the plan. She found herself oddly gratified that he had been so willing to assist. Katara had known that the only proof that would stick would be if the commander got caught in the act – his stash of gold could have come from anywhere, after all – a wealthy family, or selling wares on the side to supplement his income. But she had also known that anyone who actually had morals and cared about this ridiculous war that she suspected was really just the Fire Lord overcompensating for his shortcomings – that probably explained Zuko’s bluster as well, now that she thought about it, smirking – wouldn’t want to believe the worst unless the truth was right in front of them. Fortunately, Paik hadn’t seemed to consider any other possible sources of Gow’s swollen funds. He had latched onto the idea of his commander being a traitor quite easily, actually. He hadn’t taken much persuading at all. She supposed there <em>was </em>still the possibility that Hong had just played her, or even simply misunderstood what was happening, but she doubted it. Gow’s instant reaction to throw the other man in jail and coerce Ave into accusing him of rape confirmed that he clearly hadn’t been up to any good that night.</p><p>The wage caravan was due tomorrow, Paik had told her. So tonight seemed the most likely for Gow to meet with his contact again. She just hoped they weren’t wrong. She wasn’t convinced her boredom could take another anti-climax like that, and she wasn’t convinced she would be able to stop herself from impulsively lashing out regardless.</p><p>Paik had also reasonably predicted that even if they did catch him in the act, his testimony alone probably wouldn’t be enough against the commander. Hierarchy was rigidly enforced in the Earth Kingdom Army. Really, Paik should have taken his suspicions to another officer, but he didn’t think that either Xoh or Metan could be trusted. They were both too close to the commander. Instead, he had promised to round up one or two close comrades he felt he could trust. He didn’t tell them exactly what this surprise covert mission was, or why the mission required them to wait in the shadows for potentially the whole night, but as soon as he informed them it was for the commander, they hadn’t dared refuse. He just hoped that if and when they realised the truth, they would react the same way he had and not side with the commander. Katara had considered that herself, which was part of the reason why she was up on the roof. If they could take care of it themselves with minimal fuss, she would leave them to it and none of them would have to know of her involvement. That would be a dull outcome as well admittedly, but at least the job would be done. She would just have to sate herself with that knowledge until something more exciting came her way.</p><p>The waiting was interminable. Any flutters of excitement she had felt as she moved into position quickly gave way to restlessness, and she sensed the insufferable red haze creep its way to the fringes of her mind. Like her element, it seeped between all the cracks, forging an unstoppable path until it coloured her every thought with a hue of frustration. And it only grew worse the longer time crept on with nothing happening. It had been a few days now already…</p><p>She had observed from previous bouts the effect it had on her. When she would look back, she realised just how much it could cloud her judgement and influence her actions, none for the better. The last one that had been allowed to go on for so long had resulted in her being expelled from the group. The ensuing days of uncertainty and survival had been enough to clear her mind so she was no longer under its thrall at least, but she had sometimes idly wondered what might have happened had she been able to find another way to exorcise it that hadn’t involved a screaming match with the Avatar and reducing her brother to tears. She supposed that this was also why she had handled Ave the way she had, and allowed her real personality to bleed through. She had been so impatient just to make something fucking <em>happen</em>, anything that could clear this mist that had settled over her. She had been impatient enough that had Ave not been forthcoming, she would have resorted to violence, she knew. Ultimately, that encounter had helped alleviate it some, but the fact it was creeping back up on Katara so soon meant it hadn’t been enough.</p><p>It certainly didn’t help that nothing had happened yet. And maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe they would all just be waiting here all night…she sighed in frustration just at the prospect. No, she would <em>not </em>be happy if this whole endeavour had turned out to be a waste. Which it would be if they didn’t take Gow into custody. Ave had refused to come clean until the commander was behind bars. Katara could see the sense in that, but it also meant that if tonight was a bust, then she may as well not have bothered with any of it. Hong wasn’t getting out without Ave’s confession.</p><p>‘Well,’ Katara reasoned. ‘Maybe Gow isn’t the only one who can force her into doing what he wants.’ A few more jabs at her morality should do it. A few more pointed reminders that Hong’s blood would be on her hands. It had really seemed to drive the point home last time. Spirits, Katara would fucking <em>drag </em>her to the barracks if that’s what it came to. She wasn’t willing to let the entire job go to shit. It wasn’t her style. Not that ensuring Hong’s innocence came to light would have any effect on her reputation, she knew. But she had already put quite a bit of effort into this, and one way or another, she <em>would </em>see it through.</p><p>Finally, Katara heard a movement down in the alley below. A figure wrapped in a dark cloak stalked into the passageway, keeping close to the wall, their hood pulled right over their head so that even if it had been broad daylight, Katara doubted she would have been able to make out their face. Just as Hong had described… A satisfied smirk twisted onto Katara’s lips. They had been right. She just prayed that her co-conspirators had spotted it. She had no way of signalling to them, not without giving everything away. She also prayed that at least Paik would be smart enough to wait until the commander got himself into a damning position before closing in. If he messed this up…</p><p>Katara found then that she didn’t merely dislike having to trust other people not to screw things up – she <em>loathed </em>it. Everything could fall apart so quickly with one misstep, one ill-timed cough. But all was quiet. As the cloaked figure waited, so did they.</p><p>Merely a few moments later, the mysterious cloaked figure was joined in the alley by a much larger, much <em>louder </em>man, who wouldn’t know discretion if it punched him in the face. Even in the darkness, Katara could make out Gow’s wide jaw and his trademark twin hammers which swung carelessly from his belt. For once, Katara was grateful for Gow’s arrogance – there was no way the soldiers who were watching could have missed him. The two figures below her began to speak in hushed voices, too quiet for Katara to make out what they were saying, but that was okay. She wasn’t the one who needed to hear them. From her vantage point on the roof, she spotted the three soldiers creeping up to the edge of the alley on either end, as stealthy as the Kyoshi Warriors. Or at least, stealthy enough that neither of their targets seemed to notice. Good.</p><p>It was going to go down soon, Katara knew. She could <em>feel </em>it…the savour of anticipation once more took her in its grip, and Katara was almost anxious to leap down onto the unsuspecting men below and get this started. But as tempting as that was, Katara forced herself to wait. She crawled ever so slightly closer to the edge. The voices were a tad clearer now, and the cloaked figure had lowered his hood. Katara started as she caught a glimpse of his face, and gripped the eaves tightly to maintain her balance. ‘Shinju…?’ It was him, she was sure of it. She wondered briefly if there was any way she could make use of that information here. Any way she could turn this in her favour…but she soon realised the fact that it was Shinju didn’t change anything. It wasn’t as though he could ever be called as a witness. It made no difference whatsoever, she realised. Shinju was just doing his part for his own military. Why <em>wouldn’t </em>he take up the offer of the enemy’s military secrets if someone was willing to hand them over on a silver platter for a bit of gold? He’d be stupid <em>not </em>to, Katara thought. This development was what it was, nothing more.</p><p>“Thank you for your continued service to the Fire Nation,” she heard Shinju say to Gow, as stoic and collected as ever. But before he could hand over the pouch and complete the exchange, Katara heard a loud shout from the soldier to her left.</p><p>“Commander!” After a moment of what Katara imagined was defiant contemplation on the soldier’s part, the soldier ran into the alley and attempted to tackle Gow. But his commander made quick work of him and landed a brutal punch against his eye, knocking the soldier backwards and against the wall. He crumpled to the ground in a heap.</p><p>‘Idiot,’ Katara thought idly. And Katara thought the boredom made <em>her</em> impulsive. She shook her head in mild disdain as she continued to watch events unfold below.</p><p>“Get out of here,” Gow ordered Shinju, who had pulled his hood back up. “I’ll take care of this.”</p><p>As Shinju ran out the same way the other soldier had come in, Paik and the remaining soldier emerged into the passage from the other end.</p><p>“Commander,” Paik said shakily. “You’re…I…” He paused, and stood up straighter. “You’re under arrest for treason. P-please come quietly and we…we’ll treat you with dignity.”</p><p>“What the fuck did you just say to me, greenleaf?” Gow retorted threateningly, the unconscious soldier momentarily forgotten. Katara smirked. Of course Gow wasn’t going to come quietly. She rose up from lying flat on her stomach into a crouch, but continued to observe for the time being.</p><p>“I-I have to arrest you,” Paik responded, stepping back as Gow neared him. His comrade remained silent at his side. “We heard everything. You were…you were telling him military-”</p><p>“Oh, is that what you think?” Gow sneered. “You gonna rat on me, greenleaf?”</p><p>“I have to!” Paik said, full of determination.</p><p>“I’d better make sure there aren’t any witnesses then…” Before either of the other soldiers could react, Gow yanked his hammers from his belt. With speed and grace no-one knew Paik possessed, he drew his sword quickly and his blade clashed with Gow’s hammer. The two soldiers held that pose for only a tense moment before Paik’s comparative weakness failed him and Gow regained the upper hand. He struck Paik’s sword-bearing hand, hard, and with a yelp, Paik dropped the sword and clutched his throbbing, aching hand in the other. Gow moved again and struck Paik on the side, and he fell to the ground instantly, not moving.</p><p>Paik’s comrade stood frozen to the spot, all of his training seeming to have abandoned him. Before Gow could get a good look at him, he suddenly turned and fled the scene. His footsteps echoed as he dashed down the street on the other side.</p><p>‘Fucking coward,’ Katara thought darkly. She had observed for long enough now, she decided. Now it was time to intervene. Gow turned back to Paik and raised one of his hammers above his head to deliver the killing blow. Katara quickly uncapped her waterskin, and sent out a vicious water-whip at the commander, catching one of his thick wrists and pulling it back at Katara’s command. Gow cried out in shock, and looked around frantically for the source before he finally spotted Katara on the roof. She smirked as his expression changed from confusion to loathing. Oh he <em>would </em>give her a fight to remember, she thought gleefully. She vaulted off the roof and turned to face her opponent.</p><p>“Looks like there’s one more witness to take care of,” she couldn’t help but taunt as her nerves came alive with excitement.</p><p>Gow couldn’t help but smirk back. So, the whore wanted a fight, did she? That was fine. Perfect, actually. He could just tell everyone the bitch had gone crazy and started attacking him out of nowhere. And just <em>look </em>at what she had done to two of his soldiers, he thought, one of them her own lover no less… No-one could have cause to question him when he used his earthbending to bring down the small woman in front of him. She had forced his hand… He should be able to make quick work of her, he decided. Perhaps he’d even keep her alive. There were plenty of other ways she could pay penance after all.</p><p>Gow gripped his hammers tightly, and brought them forcefully down to the ground, making the entire alley rumble. The game was afoot.</p><p>****</p><p>Zuko heard, rather than saw, the commotion as he neared Ganhan. At first they were just distant, faraway sounds that he couldn’t pinpoint the origin of. But as he reached the edge of the village, the very earth below his ostrich-horse’s feet began to tremble, causing the creature to bray in panic and rear back on its hind legs, almost knocking Zuko from the saddle. He tugged hard on the reins in an effort to stabilise the animal, just as another tremor shook the earth beneath him. His breathing quickened as he was almost knocked off again. Was it an earthquake? He didn’t realise they got them in this part of the world. Earthquakes were known to happen in the Fire Nation, and Zuko had lived through a few when he was a child. Earthquakes were a menace, and even the sturdy palace structure couldn’t always escape the damage and destruction they wrought. They weren’t as feared as volcanic eruptions, but they nonetheless inspired terror in the Fire Nation populace.</p><p>He quickly dismounted and tied the ostrich-horse to a fence post. He hoped that was the right decision. He couldn’t risk the creature bolting in panic and ending up the spirits knew where. The sounds of fighting carried across to him, and the ground shook once more, albeit much more faintly this time. Zuko broke out into a run into the village proper, noting that the tremors were sporadic and only became stronger the further in he got.</p><p>As he trod deeper into the village to the other side of the water tower, and took in the scene before him, he realised that this wasn’t an earthquake. This was earthbending. Courtesy of the same earthbender with the hammers Zuko had fought. Only now he was engaged in a furious battle with…was that the waterbender? Zuko’s good eye widened in surprise. She hadn’t been lying... She really had anticipated a battle with that brute. Zuko was certain her friends would be there soon to back her up, and almost turned away, but something held him in place.</p><p>As the fight went on, it was becoming clearer and clearer that she was battling the earthbender alone, and no-one was coming to help her. Not that she seemed to need it. He watched with fascination, not that he would admit it, as she bent a pillar of ice, and began slicing off discs to launch at the earthbender. He batted each of them away with his hammers with ease, but the waterbender didn’t seem to be put off. Until the earthbender smashed both of his hammers to the ground, causing another tremor, the strongest Zuko had felt, and the waterbender was thrown backwards as a jagged rock pushed itself up from the ground under her feet.</p><p>Zuko wasn’t sure what he should do. Should he intervene? She wasn’t his enemy anymore…it would be the honourable thing to do… He watched as she stood up, trembling slightly, only to be knocked back again almost instantly as the earthbender brought his hammers down once more. She lashed out with a water-whip, catching his ankle briefly, but before she could tug and trip him, he simply broke the connection with his hammers. She stood up again and began running towards the earthbender, but he made easy work of knocking her off-balance once more. This time, the rock came up harder and threw her further and she landed flat on her back near the water tower, winded.  The waterbender failed to get up from that last tumble.</p><p>Zuko watched with growing unease as the earthbender approached her. He crouched down and grabbed her roughly by her hair, and yanked her into a sitting position. Without thinking about it, Zuko’s feet carried him towards them, although he imagined there couldn’t be much more to observe. There was no honour in the earthbender continuing – she had lost, simple as that. The fight was over.</p><p>But then the earthbender – seemingly having finished his taunting – raised his arm and backhanded her. Despite himself, Zuko let out a growl of anger at the move. ‘She’s already down!’ He was just like Zhao, he thought furiously. After losing their Agni Kai, he had tried to attack Zuko when his back was turned, and it had only been by the grace of his uncle that he hadn’t been burned…again. His uncle would tell him to intervene, to assist the waterbender. He should intervene, he thought, he should…but where had that got him last time? Weakened and pitiful, and rejected by the very family he had sought to help.</p><p> The earthbender let go of her hair and she crumpled to the ground. No longer thinking, Zuko’s fists blazed, and he ran towards them and threw his flames at the earthbender. <em>That </em>got his attention.</p><p>He finally turned away from the waterbender and moved to confront Zuko, a sneer crawling onto his broad face.</p><p>“You’ll regret that, ashmaker!” he spat at Zuko, and launched himself at him.</p><p>****</p><p>Katara was vaguely aware of the flames flying above her head as she emerged from her daze. That strike had been a hard one. She had managed to remain conscious, but she also knew that if Gow had continued, she wouldn’t have stood much chance against him. She sat up, rubbing her head wearily, and noticed that Gow was no longer paying attention to her. Someone else had stepped into the fray… She gasped as her surprise battle partner shot fireballs at Gow.</p><p>‘Zuko?’ she thought, stunned. ‘Huh…’ She had never expected him to take her up on her offer, hadn’t expected to even see him again. But there he was. And he was on <em>form </em>tonight, she noticed with excitement. <em>There </em>was the Zuko she remembered. Precise and efficient, if a little emotional at times, but if that fuelled his firebending, that was good enough for Katara. He had given her exactly what she had needed to gain the upper hand after an exhausting bout of trying and failing to dodge Gow’s ground attacks – a distraction.</p><p>Neither of the men noticed as she streamed water from a barrel, and curled it into a water-whip, lashing once more at the commander’s ankle. This time, it took and she yanked it back towards her. Gow stumbled and crashed to the ground, flat on his back and cursing loudly. Katara sprinted towards him and before Gow could blink, she quickly wrapped his wrists in water and froze it, pulling more and more water from the barrel to build a deep ice barrier that clamped his wrists and then his forearms to the ground. When she was finally satisfied that Gow wouldn’t be able to get up, she let out the breath she didn’t realise she had been holding in a deep and contented sigh.</p><p>Her head throbbed, but she ignored it. She would heal it later. The excitement that had filled up her whole system pricked at her, and she broke out into a wide and wild grin. She couldn’t help the bark of laughter that came out.</p><p>Fuck, that had been <em>fun</em>. Gow hadn’t disappointed her. And the best bit? The haze was gone. She felt clear, clearer than she had done in days. The heavy boredom that had wrapped itself thickly around her had completely dissipated. A refreshingly cold clarity sharpened her mind once more as she listened to the commander growl and swear as he tried to break free of his icy restraints. Observing him, she chastised herself for thinking for one moment that she had been attracted to him, or his mind in any event. She let out another small laugh at the absurdity of it all, enjoying the welcoming sensation of lightness and satisfaction at a job well done.</p><p>She turned around to find Zuko still there, breathing heavily and eyeing her cautiously. Her face wore a calm yet satisfied smile. “You always did like to make a dramatic entrance, huh?” she smirked at him. Zuko scowled in response.</p><p>“I’ll take that as a thank you,” he said sarcastically.</p><p>“You should,” she nodded earnestly. “That was superb timing.” Far from wiping the scowl off his face, her compliment only made his frown deepen in confusion. “Not that I’m not grateful, but why <em>are </em>you here?” she asked him curiously. But before Zuko could respond, the pair found themselves surrounded by what must be every soldier in the barracks as well as the villagers who had been disturbed from their sleep by the fighting. The villagers began muttering amongst themselves as they took in the scene before them. The commander, frozen by his arms to the ground; the firebender, looking as menacing and threatening as he had last time; and the bounty hunter in the centre of it all. Some of them weren’t convinced they weren’t dreaming. They began questioning what had happened, but no-one made a move towards any of them.</p><p>Until Xoh broke through the crowd, accompanied by the yellow-bellied soldier who had run away after Paik had been knocked down. Oh…Paik. He was probably still in the alley, she realised. He would need treatment. She opened her mouth to speak as Xoh neared her, but he got there first.</p><p>“I’ll take it from here, Raina,” he told her somewhat coolly. Katara narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Xoh was one of Gow’s lackeys, wasn’t he? But, being a lieutenant, he was also second-in-command. A role he took much more seriously than Gow, it seemed, as he began ordering his men to chip Gow out of the ice blocks and take him to a cell, where he would be dealt with in the morning. As unconvinced as Katara was that Xoh wasn’t just putting on a charade for the benefit of the public eye, she realised she also didn’t really care. She had done her bit. The rest was up to them.</p><p>“A couple of your guys are in that alley,” she informed Xoh, pointing. “Gow beat them down pretty hard.”</p><p>“I know. I’ll make sure they’re seen to,” Xoh replied. Katara knew she should probably see to them herself. She <em>was </em>a healer. Although healing wounded soldiers hadn’t been part of the job, and she was feeling kind of spent from the fight. Was she really obliged to? It wasn’t as if the Army didn’t have medics of their own. They had put themselves in that position, after all. The first soldier had brought the whole thing on himself by charging in blindly like a buffoon. But Paik hadn’t. Paik had been trying to do his job. He <em>had </em>been there because of her, she acknowledged.</p><p>She sighed. She may as well just do treat them herself. If they died from their injuries, that meant two witnesses out of commission, and their dying was less likely if she got involved. Given that her self-imposed mission had ultimately been to get Hong’s truth out, their senseless deaths wouldn’t do. It would seem incomplete otherwise.</p><p>“I’ll do it,” she muttered. “I’m a healer.”</p><p>“So you <em>are </em>a waterbender,” Xoh remarked. Katara merely nodded. “You kept that very quiet, Raina,” he muttered suspiciously.</p><p>“It didn’t seem important,” she replied nonchalantly. Xoh’s eyes narrowed at her, but nodded for her to tend to them. Questioning Raina could wait, he decided. And question her he would.</p><p> Distracted by Xoh, Katara had temporarily forgotten about Zuko. And Xoh had only just noticed him.</p><p>“What are you doing back here, ashmaker?” Xoh spat at him on recognition. Zuko merely scowled in response. “We warned you what would happen if you came back,” Xoh continued. “Men, arrest the firebender!” Katara heard a mad scramble as the soldiers attempted to carry out their order. Zuko lashed out, and beat them back with his flames. But he was quickly completely surrounded, the men seemingly having gotten over their cowering terror from just a few days ago. She frowned. Zuko had just helped…and yet now they were trying to arrest him, just for being a firebender. How did that make sense? Did it not matter what he had done in service of Ganhan?</p><p>‘No,’ she realised as the soldiers continued to try and subdue him. ‘It doesn’t.’ All they saw was evil that needed to be beaten into submission. Maybe even killed, before they became a danger to everyone else. People were so quick to judge but almost always lacked the forethought and insight to make a reasoned assessment. That was what was happening here.</p><p>This didn’t sit right with her, she realised clearly. Not at all. She thought quickly, working out the best way to play this. The way Katara saw it, she only had to decide between two options. Either stand back and let it happen, or intervene on Zuko’s behalf. For the sake of saving her own skin and avoiding unwanted attention, she should just stand back, she knew. She didn’t even have to watch – she could just go to the alley and heal the soldiers, all the while remaining completely unaffected by what was happening to her surprise battle partner.</p><p>But Zuko <em>had </em>been her battle partner. She supposed that had to mean something. He hadn’t had to intervene on <em>her</em> behalf, after all, but he had. Which confused her, if she was being honest, and was a topic she was very keen to discuss with him. She wouldn’t get that chance if she stood back…</p><p>She turned away from the alley and marched determinedly up to Xoh. “What are you doing, Xoh?” she asked half-amused, half-exasperated. By now, one of the soldiers had thrown his arm around Zuko’s throat from behind and tugged backwards, causing the firebender to choke and gasp for air. His flames petered out of existence as he struggled against the soldier.</p><p>“Aren’t you supposed to be healing my men?” Xoh retorted in a low voice, almost a hiss.</p><p>“A good thing just happened,” Katara reminded him calmly, unperturbed. “This is a nice moment…don’t cheapen it.”</p><p>“How the fuck could you possibly think this is a good thing?” Xoh spluttered. “We’ve all just found out that our commander, a man we respected and followed, is a traitor,” he hissed at her. “The spirits only <em>know </em>what damage he’s done.”</p><p>“And now he’s down,” Katara told him obviously. “Problem solved. Thanks, in no small part,” she emphasised, “to Zuko.”</p><p>“Are you talking about the ashmaker?”</p><p>“I am,” Katara confirmed. “I asked him here. He’s with me. Let him go.” Now that Zuko was subdued, the company had turned their attention to Katara and Xoh, and a silence fell over them at her words. Xoh merely stared at her with a simple, slack-jawed expression. “Let…him go,” Katara repeated dangerously, uncapping her waterskin once more.</p><p>“Why…would you do that, Raina?” Xoh finally asked, a hint of a threat laced between his words.</p><p>“I thought I might need backup,” Katara said, one hand still poised on her waterskin. “And it turns out I was right since I couldn’t exactly count on you or your men.” Not one of them had jumped in to the fray to lend support, to either her or Gow. But pretty much the whole village had been watching. Even when Gow had beaten her to the ground for the last time, and then backhanded her, no-one had done anything. Except for Zuko.</p><p>“We only just got here! How dare you insinuate-”</p><p>“Look, I don’t really care,” Katara replied dismissively. “The fact of the matter is, I couldn’t have done it without him. He just did your village a huge favour…and I really don’t want to have to ask you again, so don’t make me,” she implored sweetly. Xoh looked extremely discomfited now, Katara remarked with interest. Was it just because she was defending Zuko, or had she accidentally let too much of her real personality slip again? She really needed to get a better handle on that at times.</p><p>Xoh sighed. It really wasn’t worth this, he thought. His whole world had been turned on its head tonight. Without warning, Xoh was suddenly in charge of his entire unit…and the bounty hunter they had all grown fond of had turned out to be in bed with the enemy this whole time. That wasn’t even all – there was just something <em>off </em>about her. Her own lover was, by her own admission, lying injured in an alley, a man <em>she </em>had put there, and she was here wasting time arguing for a fucking ashmaker. She didn’t even seem the least bit concerned about Paik. He had half a mind to order her arrest as well…but she was right. Between them, Raina and the firebender had done the village of Ganhan – the whole Earth Kingdom, really – a great service by unearthing and putting a stop to Gow’s treachery. He made up his mind there and then.</p><p>“Very well,” he agreed calmly. He gestured to the soldier who still had Zuko in a chokehold, and Zuko was suddenly free. He bent over gasping for air, massaging his neck where the soldier had held him uncomfortably tight. Xoh heard the surprised murmurs coming from everywhere around him. He frowned. He had better justify his actions. The last thing he needed now was dissent to begin stirring. He cleared his throat. “In light of everything that’s happened,” he announced in a confident voice that didn’t betray his uncertainty, “I am going to give the firebender one last chance to walk out of here peacefully. There is to be no retribution against him – from <em>any </em>of you.” He threw a warning look at the villagers. He turned to Zuko. “This is on the strict condition that you never set foot in our village again. What my men do to you then is out of my hands.” Internally, Zuko bristled at the hostility but quietly accepted the terms. As if he would <em>want </em>to return to this spirits-forsaken backwater anyway. Xoh turned back to Katara, his face set with grim determination. Katara matched his steely gaze, undaunted. “Raina, on behalf of Ganhan, I want to thank you for everything you’ve done for us. But I’m going to have to ask you to leave, too. Tonight.”</p><p>Katara raised her eyebrows. She had foreseen this possibility, of course…but she wasn’t entirely sure how to react. And she didn’t have the time she needed to reflect on it.</p><p>“Excuse me?” Katara asked in a calm voice.</p><p>“We can no longer trust you,” Xoh replied simply.</p><p>“Just so I’m clear, this is just because I asked Zuko to help?” she asked him curiously. Xoh frowned.</p><p>“So…you know his name then?”</p><p>“He announced it to the whole village,” Katara pointed out obviously. Why did everyone seem to forget that? Were their memories really that short or were they all just that stupid? “It was kind of hard to miss.”</p><p>“As comforting as that is,” Xoh sneered, growing impatient, “what <em>you </em>did tonight was reckless! And my men are paying the price for it. I don’t even want to know how you found out about all this, but you should have come to us. Let <em>us </em>handle it. This wasn’t one of your bounties, Raina, and I can’t believe you would be so arrogant to think you could just charge in here and deal with it yourself! Thanks to you, two of <em>my </em>men are injured and out of commission for the spirits-know how long! I also can’t think of any good reason why you would hide being a waterbender, so my guess is it can’t be good. So no, I don’t trust you anymore and I want you out or I’ll arrest you myself!”</p><p>His bit said, Xoh took a moment to compose himself, and continued, “You may collect your belongings, but after that I expect you to leave. We can’t risk your kind in our village. Not after what’s just happened.”</p><p>‘My kind?’ Katara thought sceptically. ‘Oh, Xoh, you have no idea what my kind is…’ She wondered if it was worth unleashing a storm on him. As satisfying as that would be, Katara appreciated that that really <em>would</em> be reckless. But when it came down to it, did she actually care? She had only been planning to leave anyway. Her job was done…mostly. ‘Why bother fighting this?’ she resolved.</p><p>“What about the soldiers in the alley?”</p><p>“We’ll see to them,” Xoh said curtly. “But I don’t want you going to Paik. Just gather your stuff and leave. I’ll have one of my men bring your ostrich-horse to the inn for you.”</p><p>“Yeah, okay,” she agreed, replacing the cap on her waterskin. “Have it your way. I was done with this fucking place anyway.” She paused. “Oh, but you should know. Hong didn’t rape Ave. Gow made her lie about it because Hong caught him doing this last month. So be a dear and set him free, would you?” As the crowd around her began to murmur once more at her revelation, their favourite pastime it seemed, Katara couldn’t help the satisfied smirk twisting on her lips.</p><p><em>Now </em>her job was done.</p><p>****</p><p>Zuko waited. He had turned around and begun making his way out of the village almost as soon as he had been granted amnesty to leave. But he had still overheard what had happened next. How they had turned on the waterbender. An unsettled feeling had come over him at the soldier’s words, one that he couldn’t quite place. It had almost been enough to make him pause, to march back in indignant rage, but for what he didn’t know. But what would have been the point? He would have just made things worse. He already had. And so he’d kept moving, not staying to hear the rest. There was no sign of the Avatar or the non-bender, he had observed. The waterbender had probably not been lying, he realised. For whatever reason, she seemed to have honestly split off from their group and forged her own path. Much like Zuko. It was something they had in common. As he thought that, the realisation struck him, and he knew why he had been inclined to turn back.</p><p>This village, he now realised, had been her home. A place to lay her head. A place to keep company. A place where she probably felt like she had belonged. And he had just witnessed her be essentially banished from her home because of <em>him</em>. ‘When will I learn?’ he thought bitterly. Everything he touched broke, turned to poison. He should have known better than to believe anything positive could have come from his charging in blindly like he had. He never thought things through, as his uncle had liked to keep telling him. He knew he shouldn’t care. He knew it shouldn’t bother him. But he couldn’t help the feeling of guilt seeping into his veins for his hand in the waterbender’s expulsion. And so, once he had returned to where he had tethered his ostrich-horse just outside of the village proper, he waited.</p><p>He had absolutely no idea what he would do when he actually saw the waterbender. Would she attack him on sight? He wouldn’t blame her.</p><p>Just a short while later, the waterbender rode out of the village on her own ostrich-horse, stopping as soon as she spied him. He looked up and caught her silently regarding him. Zuko felt like he should say something. But what? ‘Sorry I got you kicked out?’ Yes, that sounded like a wonderful thing to say. She would be amazingly grateful for his deep and heartfelt apology and declare that he was the best person she had ever known beneath his rough exterior, and all was forgiven. The only thing he could muster was a sigh. He shouldn’t have waited. He should have just let her leave with her dignity and go on her way.</p><p>“What are you still doing here?” she finally asked. There was no hint of malice or anger in her voice, to Zuko’s surprise. She just seemed to be mildly confused to find him still standing there stupidly, one hand gripping the reins on his ostrich-horse, the other hanging limply at his side. It was a good question. What <em>was </em>he still doing here? Guilt had made him wait, but now that she was in front of him, he still had absolutely no clue where to go from here. He should apologise, he knew. It was his fault. But it was difficult. Despite everything, Zuko still had his pride and it went against everything that had been ingrained into him by Fire Nation teachings – and especially those of his father – to admit fault and express regret. Making mistakes was bad enough, but the humiliation of owning up to them was seen as one of the greatest weaknesses. Zuko had always been weak, in the eyes of his father, shamefully so. And here Zuko was contemplating apologising to a peasant. How was it <em>his </em>fault the villagers had overreacted? He shouldn’t be apologising, they should! They should be bowing to him and laying offerings at his feet. He was a prince!</p><p>‘Not anymore,’ he reminded himself darkly. Now he was no better than a peasant himself.</p><p>“I…saw what happened,” he eventually offered in response.</p><p>“Aw and you felt bad, huh?” she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “That’s so sweet.”</p><p>“I <em>did </em>feel bad, for your information!” he scowled at her. “Though now I can see I shouldn’t have wasted my time!” Her expression softened, and she shook her head, gazing at him quizzically.</p><p>“Why do you feel bad?” she asked him sincerely.</p><p>“I…just forget it,” he groaned. He turned away from her and mounted his own ostrich-horse, determined to ride away and this time keep to his resolution to never see her face again.</p><p>“I should probably thank you, really,” she called before he had gone two trots. “I wouldn’t have been able to take him down without your help.” Zuko’s face reddened slightly at the unexpected compliment, and he was glad he wasn’t facing her. “You know, you never answered my question from earlier,” she reminded him, trotting up beside him on his right.</p><p>“Which one?” he sighed. “You’re full of them.” She sniggered at his sulky tone.</p><p>“Maybe I just find you interesting,” she told him after a moment. Zuko frowned, and he turned to look at her in confusion.</p><p>“You make no sense,” he muttered.</p><p>“I get that a lot,” she replied, seemingly unbothered by his remark. “But going back to my original point, I asked you why you came back here. I didn’t expect to see you.”</p><p>‘Me neither,’ Zuko thought, but it wouldn’t do to go admitting that right now. He supposed he may as well tell her the truth. He didn’t imagine he would be able to come up with a convincing lie, not one that made sense. He wasn’t like Azula.</p><p>“I wanted to speak to the Avatar,” he admitted. “I assumed he was here with you. But I can see now that I was wrong.” ‘I can see now that you weren’t lying,’ was on the tip of his tongue, but he refrained from uttering it.</p><p>“I thought you weren’t hunting him anymore?”</p><p>“I’m not.” She seemed to want to ask more, but decided against it and merely shrugged with a low hum. The silence between them stretched on, neither of them moving. They both stared off into the night, deep in thought. The plains were bathed in a pale, ghostly glow from the light of the moon. The stars shone brightly above them, and Zuko was reminded of the many lonely nights on board his ship, idly watching the night sky on the deck when he couldn’t sleep. Which was fairly often. His insomnia had been at its worst when he had been younger, and whilst it had improved as he developed into a man under his uncle’s guidance, it was always lingering in the background, ready to strike when he least expected it. Sometimes it would be because he woke from a nightmare drenched in sweat and shaking with fear, and unable to return to sleep lest he be transported back to the Agni Kai arena. Sometimes he simply lay there tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep in the first place, before giving up. He risked a glance at the waterbender, who seemed just as far away as he did. He found himself wondering what she was thinking about. If anything kept <em>her </em>awake.</p><p>Then he wondered why he had just wondered that. But before he could dwell on it and overanalyse it, the waterbender broke the silence between them.</p><p>“Well, as fun as this has been, I’m going to go and find a place to camp and drink heavily,” she announced, seeming resolved. She turned to Zuko. “Want to join me?”</p><p>Zuko started. “What?”</p><p>“The innkeeper here is a very generous man,” she supplied, slipping a large bottle of liquor out of her pack.</p><p>“You’re…asking me to…drink with you?” he asked uncertainly, utterly perplexed.</p><p>“Why not?” she shrugged. “I do kind of owe you.”</p><p>“Is this a trap?” he asked her, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.</p><p>“Why would I bother defending you just to lure you into a trap? It would have been much easier to let them all think I was against you. You’d be far more helpless in a cell than out in the open,” she pointed out.</p><p>“That doesn’t make any sense,” Zuko said. “I’m still a firebender. I could still hurt you from behind bars.”</p><p>“Are you planning to?”</p><p>“I thought I already made it clear I wasn’t,” Zuko huffed in response.</p><p>“And I thought I agreed that we’re not enemies anymore,” she reminded him. “So no, Zuko, this isn’t a trap.” She paused. “Look, do what you want. The offer’s still open.” With that, she rode off, leaving behind a more-confused-than-ever Zuko. He wasn’t even too sure what had just happened… She said she found him interesting, then thanked him for his help, then offered to share her liquor with him. Taken alone, these all seemed like perfectly normal, socially acceptable things to say. But why was she being so nice to him? What did he do to deserve it? Why was she actively encouraging <em>him</em> to spend time in her company?</p><p>He groaned, and rubbed a hand down his face. He was exhausted, he realised. Not from fighting. Now that he had had time to recover from the gnawing hunger and fatigue from travelling constantly, the little spat with the earthbender had barely made a dent in his energy reserves. What he was exhausted with was himself. Arguing with himself, questioning everything…he hadn’t done enough of that at home, in the palace, where every supposedly kind gesture was simply a mask to hide true intentions, where every conversation had to be assumed to have a double meaning. Zuko hadn’t been too good at keeping up with the intrigue and casual subterfuge of daily life in the palace. He had always striven to be earnest and honourable. But, as he had learned the hard way five years ago, that had been a mistake. The biggest one Zuko had probably ever made, and he had made plenty in his nearly nineteen years. He had learned the hard way that honour wasn’t so easily won and kept. His father had tried to teach him that as a child, but Zuko had been too stubborn to listen at the time. Now all he wanted was a second chance, a chance to go back because he would get it right this time, he knew he would!</p><p>But that chance was gone now, ripped from him by his own sister. Azula had of course mastered the art of deception necessary to survive in the palace from a young age, and had far surpassed Zuko, like in all of their endeavours.</p><p>But this waterbender hadn’t done anything like that. She had freely volunteered that she was no longer with the Avatar, which had turned out to be truth. She had unabashedly admitted that he had been her battle partner in the village, ensuring his freedom…and getting herself kicked out in the process. Because of him. He knew what that felt like… But even after all that, she had said that she owed him. He owed her, too, he realised. There was a good chance he would be chained up in a cell waiting for the Fire Nation to pick him up had it not been for her. ‘She…she spoke up for me,’ he realised as another pang of guilt coursed through him.</p><p>In that instant, Zuko made up his mind. All she seemed to want was someone to share her liquor with. Now that she no longer could with the people she had probably believed were her friends from the village. They had all turned their backs on her, because she’d willingly fought alongside a firebender. Zuko knew what it felt like to be ostracised when he had only been trying to do what he’d thought was right. He realised now that he hadn’t been, he should have respected the wisdom of the generals. But all the same, he knew that feeling all too well. If what she wanted was someone to share the bottle with…Zuko could give her that. He knew how lonely and rejected she must be feeling now, after all.</p><p>Hoping that this wouldn’t turn out to be another case of him not thinking things through, Zuko trotted uncertainly after her.</p><p>****</p><p>It didn’t take Zuko long to find her. The waterbender hadn’t ventured very far at all before setting up her camp for the night, next to a small stream. That made sense, he thought. Surrounding herself with her element, just in case. He spied her ostrich-horse tethered to a tree. Her pack, from which he could still see the bottle of liquor sticking out of the top, was leaning against it, her bedroll coming unfurled as she had only been able to throw her possessions together in haste. The waterbender herself was crouched on the ground, grunting with mild frustration as she clicked a pair of spark rocks together over a rather haphazardly arranged collection of twigs and other kindling. But she wasn’t having any luck in getting it to ignite, he noticed.</p><p>Unsure of how to approach, he trotted quietly up beside her before pulling the reins, and the ostrich-horse came to a stop. She didn’t look up, still trying and failing to light her fire. Zuko cleared his throat. “H-hello,” he muttered uncertainly. She met his gaze. She looked surprised to see him. She stood up but didn’t seem to be about to attack or shoo him away. He supposed that meant her offer really was still good. If Zuko was being honest with himself, he could see the value in drinking heavily after a night like this. He had been too young when it had happened to him. His uncle hadn’t let him touch a drop of anything resembling liquor until his sixteenth birthday.</p><p>The waterbender watched him expectantly. Zuko realised he was probably supposed to say something about why he was here. “I…” he began. He sighed. “I know I wouldn’t be your first choice, but…I know how it feels,” he told her solemnly. “Being…being told to leave somewhere you thought was home. So…if you still want someone to share that bottle with…it would be my honour,” he concluded stiffly, despising how desperate he must sound. But Zuko did know how it felt, truly. This was something he wished someone could have done for him five years ago. His uncle had tried, more than any sane person would, Zuko suspected, but it hadn’t been the same for Iroh. His uncle hadn’t been banished and ordered to leave on pain of death. He had <em>chosen </em>to come along, he had exiled <em>himself</em>. It wasn’t the same. He just couldn’t understand. But Zuko could understand what the waterbender was going through, if she would let him. If she didn’t come to her senses and reject him, that was. That iota of doubt niggled in the back of his mind, and he found himself sincerely hoping that she wouldn’t. What would it say about Zuko if someone who had been turfed out to destitution rejected him now? It made him think of Admiral Zhao again – the man had been on his way to certain death, he had known that, and he had still contemptuously rejected Zuko’s hand, deemed Zuko unworthy to even help save his life. That had hit Zuko harder than he would have liked to ever admit, that someone would rather die than accept his help.</p><p>Katara watched him as he spoke with interest. She had to admit she was thoroughly intrigued by the turn of events here. She opened her mouth to speak. ‘I wasn’t really that attached to it,’ was resting on the tip of her tongue. But before the words spilled out, she heard that voice flare up again for the first time in weeks. <em>‘Don’t say that,’ </em>the voice urged her.</p><p>‘So you’re back, huh?’ Katara thought in response. The voice didn’t reply. Katara hadn’t really been expecting it to. But she wondered why had it spoken again, now? Why it spoke at all. And what possible reason it could have for urging her to hold her tongue on such an innocuous, harmless sentence. But, like the other two times, Katara chose to listen. It had served her well in the past. The first time had led to a casual acquaintance with the Fire Nation soldiers, which in turn had indirectly led her to bounty hunting. After listening the second time, she had been rewarded with her faithful, reliable ostrich-horse.</p><p>She wondered what might come out of listening this time.</p><p>She was still a bit conflicted about accepting the firebender’s offer though, even though she had been the one to invite him in the first place. It had just been another idle mention really, not one she seriously expected him to take her up on. If he was just here because he felt sorry for her, Katara saw no need to continue their interaction. She didn’t need pity, she really didn’t care enough about Ganhan or any of the simpletons who called it home. There was no hurt at all, and she really didn’t have the energy to pretend it did hurt for appearance’s sake. Although as she thought about it, would she bother putting on that appearance for Zuko? She hadn’t so far.</p><p>Compared to being in the wrong company, drinking alone was definitely better in Katara’s opinion. But she hadn’t been lying when she’d told Zuko she found him interesting. From the little she had seen of him over the last couple of days, she had observed that Zuko didn’t often seem to behave…normally, for lack of a better word. She got the distinct impression, though really it was more of a gut feeling, that what he presented to the world wasn’t all he was about. There was a lot simmering below the surface, or so it seemed. He wasn’t the sort of person one would choose to observe for the sake of studying or analysing typical human behaviour. And that all fascinated her. If she really thought about it, he was kind of an anomaly, an outlier…like her. ‘An enigma,’ she thought with interest. She had a hunch that that would make him not seem like the wrong company.</p><p>“A drinking buddy would be nice,” she finally told him cautiously yet sincerely. Zuko nodded. “Then, do you wanna get off your high horse and help me out here?” she piped up, smirking slightly.</p><p>Zuko bristled. He was trying to be nice here, to do a decent thing. Who was she to talk to him about his high horse– He heard her snort at his scowl and then she pointed to the ostrich-horse, on which he was still mounted. ‘Oh…’ Feeling embarrassed, Zuko quickly climbed off and led the animal to the tree, tethering it beside her own. Trying hard to fight the awkwardness that Zuko could feel wrapping itself around him, as well as the usual urge to rub the back of his head, he wordlessly returned to the kindling and bent a series of small flames towards them until a bright, roaring fire had appeared in their place. The waterbender seemed to watch him intently as he did this, her eyes drifting between his hands which brought forth the flames and his face. Once the fire was lit, she nodded approvingly.</p><p>“You’re full of surprises tonight, huh?” she remarked as she went to retrieve the bottle. Zuko didn’t respond to that. He didn’t know what to say. She plopped herself down on the ground beside the fire, and gestured for Zuko to do the same. He did so, stiffly, and feeling strangely apprehensive. Here he was, keeping her company…but now what was he supposed to do? Offer words of comfort? It was what his uncle would do. But as Zuko continued to observe her, he noticed that she didn’t actually seem too bothered about what had just transpired. Perhaps she was just putting a brave face on, he thought. It was what Zuko would do, after all.</p><p>She opened the bottle, took a long swig from it, and passed it unhesitatingly over to Zuko. He took it cautiously, and brought the bottle to his own lips. It took a great deal of effort not to succumb to fitful coughing as the harsh and fiery liquid burned his tongue and his throat as it went down. If he hadn’t just seen her drink from it herself, he would have thought she was trying to poison him!</p><p>It occurred to Zuko then, as he kept thinking of her as only ‘the waterbender’, that he didn’t know her name. He had spent months chasing after her and her companions, stalking them from one end of the world to the other, fought her, fought beside her now…and he couldn’t even remember her name. She knew his. Of course she did. He had loudly announced it pretty much everywhere he had encountered them, on the assumption it would inspire fear and respect in the little peasants that might otherwise get in the way of Zuko’s mission. What was it that soldier had called her back in the village? Raina? Was that her name? It didn’t sound right…</p><p>He realised she was watching him closely, and at the same time that he had been hogging the bottle. He handed it back to her. “I…I don’t know your name,” he admitted quietly.</p><p>“Why am I not surprised?” she sighed, taking another swig.</p><p>“Would you tell me?” he asked her softly. It seemed wrong, keeping her company when he didn’t know her name. She raised her eyebrows. “I heard that soldier call you Raina,” Zuko continued. “But…I don’t think that’s it. Is it?”</p><p>“Well you know what my name <em>isn’t</em>, so I guess that’s a start.” She offered him the bottle again. As he took it, she added, “It’s Katara, by the way. Since you seem so interested.” Zuko scowled at her. He wasn’t <em>interested</em>. He was just trying to be nice! Katara merely snorted at his expression. Zuko was not only amusing to rile up, she thought, he was also incredibly easy to rile up. She hadn’t even been trying, but scowling just seemed to be his favourite pastime. She supposed he had to have something to do now he was no longer hunting children or tying waterbenders to trees. She wondered why that memory didn’t bother her. Was that just another symptom – an inability to hold grudges? What about Gow? Had that been a grudge?</p><p>‘Katara,’ Zuko thought. Not the Avatar’s waterbender, not Raina…Katara. He would remember this time, he resolved. In case he ever ran into her again after tonight. He wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of forgetting.</p><p>“Katara,” he said out loud, as if testing how it sounded from his lips. “Do you want to…I don’t know, talk about it?” he asked gingerly.</p><p>“Not really.” Zuko nodded in acceptance, and slight relief. He could appreciate that, too. His uncle had tried often and in vain to get Zuko to open up about he had felt, and Zuko had always rebuffed him. He would have listened, had she wanted to talk, but he wouldn’t have had a clue what else to do.</p><p>He suppressed another cough as he took another swig. “How can you drink this stuff?”</p><p>“It is kinda harsh,” Katara agreed, taking it back from him and putting it to the side for now.</p><p>If Katara was being honest, she wasn’t entirely sure how to handle this situation either. They appeared to have reached a truce of sorts, at least for tonight, and Katara was perfectly content to honour it. She still harboured hopes of one day getting that fight against him, but now wasn’t the time. Her heart wasn’t in it.</p><p>And she had to admit, it was oddly pleasant just sitting here talking and passing a bottle between them. It reminded her of when she had offered Hong her hipflask. She hadn’t bothered putting on a façade with Hong, and it hadn’t seemed to rattle him in the slightest, although she wouldn’t have cared if it had. Zuko was a bit like that. She wouldn’t be putting on a façade for him either. If he didn’t like it, he could leave and she wouldn’t stop him.</p><p>“If you don’t mind me asking,” Zuko began uncertainly. “But why aren’t you with your friends anymore?”</p><p>“Why aren’t <em>you </em>with your uncle?” Katara countered.</p><p>“I’m not telling you that!” Zuko snapped, before realising what he had done. He sighed at himself. Katara merely raised her eyebrows. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Old habits.” He thought he saw the ghost of a smile creep up Katara’s lips, but her face was half-hidden in shadow so he couldn’t be sure.</p><p>“Sore spot, huh?” she remarked.</p><p>“You could say that. Is it for you as well?”</p><p>Katara hummed thoughtfully as she considered his question. Truthfully, no it wasn’t, not really. It ought to be, she knew intellectually, but it wasn’t for her. But Zuko seemed to be trying something here, she observed. She had expected him to just sit and scowl in silence until it was his turn to drink, but he actually seemed to be trying to talk to her, connect with her. And Katara found herself not wanting to disrupt that. This was turning out to be an extremely interesting encounter.</p><p>“You could say that,” she echoed eventually. It <em>had </em>hurt a bit, after all, when it had first happened. It didn’t hurt to think of anymore, but she saw no reason to admit that. “It’s complicated.”</p><p>“Yeah,” Zuko agreed. Katara took another swig of the liquor, and passed the bottle to Zuko.</p><p>“Why did you help me?” she asked him suddenly. That was a fair enough question, Zuko thought.</p><p>“You were already down when I saw him hit you,” Zuko explained, bristling slightly.</p><p>“Why did that matter to you?” Katara asked him curiously.</p><p>“There was no honour in what he did. The fight was over. Besides, you’re the one who said you might need backup.”</p><p>“True, but I didn’t expect you to take me up on that,” Katara admitted. “I guess we’re not enemies anymore, but I just thought that meant we wouldn’t attack each other for no reason.” Zuko grimaced. He had always had a reason, he thought sulkily. Just not one that would have been good enough for this waterbender to accept. He had even tried explaining it to her once, but he appreciated that at the time he had been taunting her with her necklace…after he had tied her to a tree… He grimaced again. He risked a glance at her, but she had begun staring vacantly into the fire. That was when he noticed.</p><p>“Your necklace,” he commented. “You’re not wearing it. I thought you took it back…” He trailed off. Had she got it back? Or had it been on his ship and blown to smithereens with almost everything else on board?</p><p>“You notice that but you don’t remember my name?”</p><p>“You didn’t exactly announce it when you found me. How was I supposed to remember?” Zuko scowled.</p><p>“Oh, of course, what was I thinking?” Katara retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Tell you what, next time I’ll rock up and be all like ‘hello, Katara here’ just so you can be certain it’s me.” Zuko’s scowl deepened, which only served to further amuse her.</p><p>“Like anyone would ever do that,” he muttered sulkily. He took another swig, and passed the bottle back to her.</p><p>“Hey, it was your idea,” she reminded him. As Zuko was about to scowl again, he noticed the amused smile on her face. And her eyes, which positively glistened in the firelight. He was supposed to be here for <em>her</em>, he reminded himself. Doing a decent thing…and she was actually letting him. She wasn’t rejecting him. On the contrary, she was proving to be surprisingly unobjectionable company. He suppressed the scowl.</p><p>“Why were you in the village?” he asked her.</p><p>“Working, mostly,” she told him honestly, as she took another swig. “What are you doing out here?”</p><p>“Wandering, mostly,” he replied in kind. He accepted the bottle from her. “What were you working on?”</p><p>“I’m a bounty hunter.” Zuko flinched at the revelation. Shit. Had she seen the posters? Was that why she was being so friendly? Before he could begin to spiral in panic and plot his escape, Katara continued, “I’m not going to turn <em>you </em>in, if that’s what you’re worried about.”</p><p>“Why…why wouldn’t you?” Zuko asked her cautiously, not quite believing her. And then he mentally slapped himself for sounding so vulnerable, weak. Katara looked thoughtful once more, taking a while to consider her answer.</p><p>“You know what, Zuko? I have absolutely no fucking idea.” She laughed lightly. “I just…don’t want to. I mean, if that had been my plan, I would have done it by now. I promise you're safe.”</p><p>“Even after tonight?”</p><p>She turned to look at him, still curious. “I don’t blame you for that, Zuko,” she told him. “I’m not sure if you noticed, but you kinda saved my ass back there.” Zuko nodded, but the uncertainty must have been evident on his face, he knew. “Besides, I don’t think you were even the real reason Xoh kicked me out. He blamed me for his soldiers getting hurt.”</p><p>“Did you attack them?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Then how was it your fault?”</p><p>“Trust me, I’d like to know that myself.”</p><p>Xoh had seemed unreasonably upset that she had allied with Zuko, and then defended him as his soldiers were surrounding him. She recalled with fascination that she had considered such a scenario just a few days before, in fact. Granted, in her mind, Zuko had been dying at the hands of his attackers rather than merely being arrested, but it had nonetheless been an eerily similar situation. She couldn’t recall what she had decided she would do. Maybe she hadn’t decided. It had only been an idle thought, after all. But once it had happened in front of her, Katara had made her choice with very little difficulty.</p><p>“What an ass,” Zuko remarked. Katara couldn’t help but snigger.</p><p>“Not as big an ass as their commander, but yeah,” she agreed.</p><p>“Why were you fighting him?”</p><p>“It’s kind of a long story,” she warned him. Zuko wondered if that meant she didn’t want to tell him. He wasn’t even sure why he had asked. He was just trying to make conversation, he supposed. He had considered just sitting there in silence as they passed the bottle between them, but his uncle’s influence had rubbed off on him more than Zuko would ever allow his uncle to witness. His uncle would have sat there probably telling awful jokes and trying to cheer the water- <em>Katara </em>– up or at the very least distract her. Well, his plan wasn’t going very well in that respect, he realised. “But in short, he was selling military secrets to the Fire Nation. We caught him, we fought. That’s it really.”</p><p>“Oh…” Zuko muttered, unsure of how else to respond. “I was not expecting that.” It did explain one thing though. “No wonder they weren’t exactly thrilled to see me again,” Zuko muttered.</p><p>“Why?” Katara questioned, fixing him with a stare. “Thanks in no small part to you, he can’t do that anymore. Their reactions made no sense to me at all.” Zuko felt himself redden slightly, and hoped that she didn’t notice. If she did, she didn’t say anything about it. And that feeling, the same one he had sensed in the pit of his stomach when she had agreed not to be enemies anymore, began to bubble up again. Katara defending him, even to himself, was oddly heartening…but that was probably due to the liquor.</p><p>“If you’re not messing with me, that’s…nice of you to say,” he remarked with surprise.</p><p>“I’m not, and it was nice of you to keep me company,” she replied.</p><p>“I’ve been in your shoes,” Zuko shrugged. Realising he still had the bottle, he hastily took a swig from it before handing it back to Katara. The heat from the liquor began to pool in his stomach, and he found himself beginning to feel oddly relaxed, his senses dulling slightly.</p><p>It seemed he had managed to do the right thing for once, Zuko mused. Katara certainly seemed to genuinely appreciate it.</p><p>He hoped his uncle would be proud, if he knew.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As usual, I want to thank all of the lovely people who commented, bookmarked and left kudos. I don't think I've enjoyed writing a story as much as this one before, and it makes me really happy that people like it.</p><p>Action/fight scenes aren't my strong point, so I hope it was okay. I know I largely glossed over the fight between Gow and Katara until Zuko got involved, but trust me there is a reason for that.</p><p>I am once again very curious as to people's thoughts on Zuko and Katara's blossoming acquaintance. And Xoh's reaction to everything that happened. I won't lie, I rewrote both scenes several times. These are their best versions, at least of the drafts I wrote, but I would genuinely love to know what you think. And if you have any questions, please feel free to ask. :)</p><p>Until next time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Katara's Gambit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara takes on one last job for Ganhan, with a grumpy accomplice in tow.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>There is some violence in this chapter, and minor injury detail</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“She’s the best chance we have of getting him back, Lieutenant.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“He bullied them for years. There will be rioting in the streets if we don’t bring him to justice.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I, for one, won’t be inclined to stop them.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“We spotted a camp not far from the village on our patrol. It’s probably her.”</em>
</p><p>With the words of the men under his newfound command echoing in Xoh’s head, he fixed his face into an expression of grim determination as he rode out of the village. Luhan, the soldier who had alerted them last night of the commander’s treason and of the subsequent brawl that had broken out between Gow and Raina, rode alongside him, ostensibly in a show of solidarity, but in reality Xoh fancied that his chances of convincing Raina were stronger if he brought with him a familiar face. A face that he hoped she would recognise as friendly. Ideally he would have brought Paik with him, but he was still recovering from his wounds. He had regained consciousness, but he had been ordered to remain strictly on bed rest for at least a few days.</p><p>Xoh really didn’t want to be doing this, but he knew that the soldiers’ arguments were correct. The villagers had become very openly hostile towards them in a rather short space of time, once the full truth had come to light and dispelled the much-less-damning rumours that had begun circulating last night. They had managed to keep this last tidbit bottled up for now, but it was only a matter of time. And when it did leak, Xoh needed to be able to demonstrate that he was taking steps to rectify the situation. The villagers far outnumbered the soldiers, and if they armed themselves and formed a united front, there was a decent chance they would find themselves swamped and overwhelmed. Especially now that they no longer had the benefit of an earthbender in their company.</p><p>It didn’t take long to find the camp. As they trotted cautiously towards it, Zuko drifted into awareness, disturbed by a sound he couldn’t quite place. His eyes fluttered open, and he lifted his head up, checking his surroundings. Upon spying the soldiers, he groaned.</p><p>It was just past dawn, and he was surprised he hadn’t woken up sooner. The sun peeking over the horizon was usually enough to break his sleep, no matter where in the world he was. He sat up, gearing for a fight, when his head pounded at the sudden movement. ‘Right. I was drinking last night,’ he recalled. He hoped that didn’t affect his ability to fend off the soldiers who were almost certainly coming to finish what they had tried to start last night. And this time there would be no water-</p><p>The previous evening came flooding back to him, and he remembered that he wasn’t alone. His eyes darted to the bedroll across the dying embers of last night’s fire, which still contained the sleeping waterbender. Katara. Were they just here for him? Or was this an ambush against both of them? He had better wake her, he thought, just in case.</p><p>“Katara!” he called softly. She didn’t stir. Sighing, Zuko quickly got up and moved to stand over her. He called for her to wake up once more, but all she did was shuffle in her bedroll and rolled over so that she was facing away from him. Zuko let out another sigh. He crouched down and shook her gently on the shoulder – and Katara suddenly snapped into action. She drew her dagger, sat up and spun around to face him in one fluid motion. Zuko recoiled and almost lost his balance. Katara exhaled as she took him in, and lowered the dagger.</p><p>“What the fuck was that for?” Zuko hissed angrily at her.</p><p>“You startled me,” Katara said drily. She looked up at the pink sky, and frowned. “How early is it?”</p><p>“Just past dawn.” A look of annoyance crossed her face.</p><p>“You’d better have a good reason for-”</p><p>“We have company,” Zuko interjected in exasperation. Finally, Katara turned to the approaching soldiers. “Is that a good enough reason for you?” he jeered.</p><p>“Yep,” Katara nodded, completely ignoring his tone. She climbed out of her bedroll and marched determinedly up to them, uncapping her waterskin as she did so. Zuko followed her. “What do you want this time, Xoh?” she called out to him, her voice laced with venom. “We’re outside of your precious village.”</p><p>“Ease up, Raina,” Xoh chided, unperturbed by her hostility. “We’re just here to talk.”</p><p>“No thanks, not interested,” Katara replied coldly.</p><p>“Raina, will you just listen-”</p><p>“You heard her,” Zuko cut him off, coming up to stand beside Katara. “She’s not interested.” Katara flicked her eyes towards Zuko in mild surprise. He opened his palm out and brought to life a small flame which hovered gently above his hand. He met Katara’s gaze, and they nodded imperceptibly at each other, sealing an unspoken agreement.</p><p>“I might have known you’d still be with him,” Xoh sighed, dismounting from his ostrich-horse. Following his new commander’s lead, Luhan did the same. Katara only continued to stare coldly at him. Xoh sighed. “Look…I owe you an apology. I might not have handled the situation last night in the best way. But I promise, we’re not here to start a fight. I just want to talk. I brought Luhan with me – you know him, don’t you?” Luhan looked nervously over at Raina and the firebender, but there was no flicker of recognition in her eyes.</p><p>“Why would I know him?” Katara asked blithely.</p><p>“He was there last night,” Xoh frowned.</p><p>“Oh. So you’re the one who ran away,” Katara concluded, talking to Luhan. The other man began to stutter, but Xoh cut back in.</p><p>“He did the right thing. He came to get backup.”</p><p>“For all the good that did,” Katara retorted drily.</p><p>“Well I would have brought Paik but he’s still recovering.”</p><p>“Being hit by a hammer and having a shattered hand will do that you. Especially when you don’t let a healer take a look at him.”</p><p>“You’re right,” Xoh conceded. “As I said, I owe you – <em>both </em>of you, really – an apology.”</p><p>“Go ahead then,” Zuko said. Beside him, Katara smirked. Zuko was being very petty, forcing Xoh to actually say the words…but that was exactly what Katara would have done.</p><p>She liked it.</p><p>“Very well,” Xoh agreed. “Raina and…Zuko, I am sorry for how we treated you last night. I misjudged the situation. Please try to understand, it was a shock for all of us.”</p><p>Katara and Zuko exchanged glances, and she nodded at him. He understood. Zuko extinguished the flame in his palm as Katara replaced the cap on her waterskin.</p><p>Zuko wasn’t an idiot. He knew that this soldier wasn’t just here to apologise out of the goodness of his heart. He wanted something from Katara. She had been in the village for a while. She had mentioned that at some point last night, that she had been the unofficial village bounty hunter. That was probably what they needed her for. They had obviously realised that a bounty hunter allied with a firebender (albeit temporarily) was better than no bounty hunter. He was about to mention it to Katara, when she spoke.</p><p>“As touching as that was, we all know that’s not the real reason you’re here. What do you want?”</p><p>Xoh lowered his head and sighed. “The commander escaped last night…” Katara snorted and barked out a mirthless laugh in response.</p><p>“That’s priceless,” she remarked. “How did you let that happen?”</p><p>“He had help,” Xoh grimaced.</p><p>“The corporal?”</p><p>“Yes…how did you…know?”</p><p>“Lucky guess,” Katara quipped. The corporal had been the only logical option really. From Katara’s observations, he and Xoh had been the only ones who actually seemed to <em>enjoy </em>the commander’s company rather than merely putting up with him out of forced respect. She had frequently seen them playing dice together, often with Paik. She supposed that was so Paik could have kept better track of Gow’s losses. “So…what does that have to do with me?” She knew damn well what Xoh hoped it had to do with her. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to make him squirm.</p><p>“I was…I was hoping we might be able to employ you to find him.”</p><p>“Really?” Katara said in mock-surprise. “Aren’t you scared I’ll bring another firebender back with me? Or hurt your men again?”</p><p>“I was wrong about that,” Xoh admitted humbly. “Luhan here explained what happened. I’m sorry. I never should have put that on you. You were just trying to help.”</p><p>“Yeah, I was. Too bad you didn’t see that last night,” Katara said coolly. She didn’t doubt for one second that had Xoh wouldn’t bother apologising if he didn’t need her for something now. Well, they were the ones who lost him. Perhaps if they hadn’t been so quick to turn her out, she <em>might </em>have been interested in taking the job on. But now there was no chance. It was their problem.</p><p>“I’ll double your fee if that’s what it takes,” Xoh pressed.</p><p>“Wow, you are <em>really </em>desperate, huh?” Katara remarked tauntingly.</p><p>Xoh nodded. “Yes. We are. But that doesn’t mean I’m not sorry.” Katara scoffed in response. ‘Yeah right,’ she thought sceptically.</p><p>But being paid double her fee was almost tempting, Katara had to admit. Personal grievances aside, this would just be another job, she supposed. It would be silly to let a personal grievance, for the little that it actually affected her, to get in the way of well-paying work.</p><p>And it was more than just the gold. She had spent some time considering how difficult it might be to get taken seriously, given her age and apparently her gender since crap like that mattered in the Earth Kingdom. Her reputation for bringing in bounties in Ganhan was stellar, but that would mean nothing to anywhere else she might go. Ganhan was too small, too insignificant. But if she was successful with this job – bringing in a known traitor, a known earthbending traitor, from the army no less…<em>that </em>was the sort of thing that could garner her a lot of attention and respect.</p><p>She made her mind up.</p><p>“I’ll take double the fee,” she told him. “But I want something else, too. When I bring him in, I want you to spread the word. Do whatever you have to do to make sure all of your barracks know it was <em>me </em>who fought him and then brought him back.” Xoh understood what she was getting at. Such a bounty would indeed do wonders for her reputation. She would never be out of work if she didn’t want to be.</p><p>“I can do that,” Xoh agreed. “So, does this mean you’ll-”</p><p>“Hold on,” Katara interjected, holding a hand up. “I haven’t agreed yet.” She turned to Zuko, who had grown silent and pensive during their exchange. “Zuko. Will you come with me?” she asked.</p><p>Zuko started in surprise, and turned to stare at her in confusion. “What?”</p><p>“Will you come with me?” she repeated calmly.</p><p>“I don’t understand. Why would you want me to?”</p><p>“Three reasons. One, as we saw from last night, I could use the backup. Two, you’re a firebender, and that seems to freak him out. And three,” she added in a whisper, “I already know just how <em>efficient </em>you can be at tracking people down,” she said pointedly.</p><p>Ordinarily she would just tether her bounties to the saddle and have them walk alongside, lest they be dragged, but she didn’t want to risk that with Gow. He was too volatile and, annoyingly, strong to be left to walk with just her watching him. If Zuko came with her, they could tie him to both saddles and both keep an eye on him to make sure he didn’t try anything stupid. And that was all after Gow had been subdued, which as she had experienced last night was no mean feat. Yet when the flames had come out, the first time at least, Gow had whimpered and cowered like a little bitch. She reasoned that Gow might be more likely to acquiesce if he didn’t want to get burned… Even if he didn’t, she and Zuko had already proved that they could bring him to his knees if they worked together. Bringing Zuko along was all-in-all simply a very pragmatic solution.</p><p>The only issue, of course, was whether Zuko would agree. And he seemed very uncertain. During their conversation last night, his expression had changed rapidly from scowling to confusion multiple times, like he was doing now. She found herself wishing not for the first time that Zuko would just hurry up and decide. This job had the potential to be a lot of fun, especially if Zuko came with her.</p><p>Zuko was indeed conflicted. Was this his chance to forge a new path, he wondered? His nation already considered him a traitor and had cast him out fully. He would find no quarter there, and never would again. Returning to the Fire Nation as a war hero with the Avatar in tow was a dead dream, and Zuko had begun to begrudgingly acknowledge he needed to take his life in a different direction. Could this be the different way to make his mark on the world?</p><p>“I’ll give you half the gold if that’s what you’re worried about,” she added.</p><p>And he could use the money. He had been on the brink of starvation before stumbling across this place. He had no idea what double Katara’s ‘usual fee’ was but it had to be better than the three coppers he had to his name at the moment. Katara wasn’t <em>terrible</em> company either, he mused. She hadn’t seemed remotely fazed by what he knew must have been very strange and awkward behaviour on his part last night. On the contrary, she was quite strange herself in many ways. He also couldn’t deny that her logic made sense – the job <em>would </em>be easier with both of them.</p><p>But doubt began to creep in from the back of his mind. He should refuse, he thought. He was better off alone. Just because he had had one not unpleasant evening with the waterbender didn’t mean they were suddenly friends for life. It didn’t mean she suddenly found his company charming. She only wanted him for his firebending, she’d said as much herself. She would only grow tired of him eventually. Better to quit while he was ahead and part on good terms. Even if Katara didn’t, Zuko knew he would always remember this. Remember a time he had tried to have a positive impact, and she’d let him. It meant more to Zuko than he could say. He was so tired of being rejected… His father and Azula had both rejected him for being too weak. Admiral Zhao had rejected him because it was more honourable to die than to accept help from his disgraced prince. His entire fucking <em>country </em>had rejected him for proving himself to be an utter failure at completing his mission. Azula, on the other hand, was the nation’s sweetheart, beloved yet feared by all. She was the child his father wanted, the child Zuko had strived and failed to be. His father knew best what his country needed, and Zuko wasn’t it. He had even been rejected by Sela and Lee after he had <em>helped </em>them. To them, ironically enough, Zuko represented exactly what his family had always wanted him to be.</p><p>But Katara hadn’t, he realised, that strange feeling bubbling up in his stomach again. Unlike Sela and Lee, Katara actually had a legitimate reason for despising him… But something had happened last night. He had kept her company, shared a bottle with her, been civil with her, and even ended up sleeping in her camp.</p><p>Why had he done all that?</p><p>“Zuko?” she prompted him, snapping him out of his reverie.</p><p>“Yeah, fine,” he groaned, not wanting to sound eager for reasons even Zuko couldn’t fathom.</p><p>****</p><p>“How did I end up here?” Zuko grumbled some time later as they rode through the plains together. He was pointedly looking at the path ahead and avoiding her gaze.</p><p>“I promised you lots of gold,” Katara reminded him.</p><p>‘Oh yeah, that’s it,’ he told himself.</p><p>Zuko couldn’t explain why he was feeling so frustrated. At least it was better than despair, he reasoned. That was pretty much all he tended to feel these days. At least the frustration made him feel like he could keep going rather than weighing him down and dragging him into the abyss. It sometimes felt like it took him days to crawl back out. The worst was when he was just numb, going through the motions because he knew he had to, not because he cared. He certainly hadn’t known joy in a long time, not since he had been banished. He had barely even laughed since then. He had felt hope ignite in him once he had discovered the Avatar, but that had long since faded, the flame dampening with each successive failure to capture the Avatar and be able to go home.</p><p>He allowed that, insofar as unideal travelling companions went, Katara wasn’t the worst. She seemed to appreciate silence almost as much as he did. Idle chatter, it seemed, wasn’t her thing either, and they had barely spoken since setting off together. The lieutenant had supplied them with very vague and frankly unhelpful estimates as to where Gow may have gone and sought refuge. He had escaped on foot, apparently – or so it was assumed since none of the mounts had been taken. That would make him more difficult to track, but as Katara had pointed out, that would also make him slower. He only had a few hours’ head start on them at most. She had confidently claimed she had found more elusive targets with less information. Zuko decided to simply take her at her word.</p><p>It would be better if they formulated a plan, though. Zuko was no stranger to charging in blindly, but it rarely worked out well for him when he did. Katara had always been capable of holding her own, but he didn’t know if her fighting style had changed. She had always been very reactive when he had encountered her previously. Zuko had never given her much of a choice. Would she be different now that <em>she </em>was the one doing the hunting?</p><p>“What do you want to do when we find him?” he asked.</p><p>“As much as I would enjoy another fight,” she mused instantly, “I think it’s better if we just try to sneak up on him. And not give him a chance to earthbend. His ground attacks were my biggest problem.” Zuko nodded.</p><p>“Yeah, I noticed.”</p><p>“Didn’t he give you any trouble when you fought him the first time?”</p><p>“Not like that, no.” She let out a quick hum, and turned away from him. Zuko had spotted what her problem was. She had stood too still and made it very easy for the earthbender to predict where to launch those attacks. He hesitated with mentioning this to her. Was it really any of his business? Would she be thankful or just snap at him? He didn’t relish the idea of being snapped at just for trying to help. Especially when he had no reason to be helping her. He wasn’t even sure why he was. Once the job was done, they would go their separate ways and she would probably forget about it and push it from her mind, push <em>him </em>from her mind, and Zuko would be alone again.</p><p>But why did he care about that? Zuko liked being alone. He <em>preferred </em>it. Despite the physical hardship he had faced, he still felt it to be preferable to the alternative. Being around other people could just be exhausting. He always felt pressured to put on a façade, a brave face, to present something to the world other than who he was or what he was feeling. Not that he really knew what either of those were anymore. But people certainly didn’t expect him to just scowl or be frustrated all the time. Even his uncle’s interminable patience with him had tired of his attitude at times. He had never threatened to abandon Zuko, but that just made Zuko feel guilty when he just…couldn’t anymore. It was why he had left. His uncle was probably flourishing without him, no longer being surrounded by a scowly, sullen teenager which just alienated both of them from everyone else. No, his uncle was much better off without him, Zuko knew. It had been Zuko’s way of accepting responsibility, of accepting the fact that he was now a man who needed to stand on his own two feet. It had been Zuko’s way of showing Iroh a kindness and gratitude for the long years Iroh had had to endure him. Zuko knew Iroh loved him, somehow, for some reason…but that didn’t make it easier. If anything, it just made Zuko feel like he was letting his uncle down by not being the bright, happy boy his uncle wanted him to be.</p><p>He sighed.</p><p>“You need to be lighter on your feet,” he eventually uttered.</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“When you waterbend, you stand very still.”</p><p>“Of course I do. That’s the nature of waterbending.”</p><p>“It makes you an easy target. It’s no wonder the earthbender kept knocking you off your feet last night.” Beside him, Katara nodded thoughtfully. She didn’t seem to be offended or annoyed at Zuko’s comment, to his surprise.</p><p>“I see your point,” she conceded. “I might have to adapt a few things…” she trailed off as she became lost in her thoughts.</p><p>“You’re not mad?” Zuko couldn’t help but query.</p><p>“Should I be?” Zuko shook his head. Well, if she wasn’t mad, telling her why she had a reason to be wasn’t a good idea. Zuko just knew that if someone had tried to offer <em>him </em>that advice – except perhaps for his uncle – he would have taken it as a grave insult to his pride and assumed they were just trying to taunt him. Which, had it come from Azula, it would have been exactly that.</p><p>“No, I guess not,” he mumbled. Katara didn’t question it, and went back to her thoughts.</p><p>They rode on in silence.</p><p>****</p><p>“I thought we would have found him by now,” Zuko groaned as the sun neared its apex. “This is taking forever.”</p><p>“You agreed to come along. I didn’t force you,” Katara pointed out coolly.</p><p>“You’re the professional. What’s taking so long?”</p><p>“You never had an issue stalking me, for <em>months</em> I might add. These things take time, and we’ve only been at this since dawn.”</p><p>“I wasn’t stalking <em>you</em>,” Zuko retorted defensively. “You just happened to be there.”</p><p>“Well that makes me feel <em>so </em>much better,” Katara countered sarcastically. “Tell me, am I blushing?” Zuko glared at her. Katara glared right back.</p><p>“You’re a pain in the ass,” he grunted.</p><p>“Whereas you’re an absolute joy to be with.”</p><p>“I know I’m not, okay?! You don’t have to make fun of me!” Zuko snapped. Katara rode up beside him and fixed him with a hard stare. She didn’t know what Zuko’s problem was all of a sudden. She shook her head at him. If he wanted to have a temper tantrum, she would let him get on with it. Just so long as he reserved some of it for when they found Gow. It could come in handy then.</p><p>“Be a dear and don’t take all your anger out on me,” she said sweetly. “Try to save some of it for Gow, okay?” With that said, she rode slightly ahead of him, keeping her eyes peeled for any signs that Gow had been through here. There was always the possibility that he hadn’t come this way, but from studying the maps, Katara knew it was unlikely he wouldn’t have done. To the north was only the desert and to the east there were no towns or villages for at least two weeks travelling on foot. It was possible he had decided to brave the mountains and go south, but her gut instinct told her that he hadn’t. She toyed with the idea that he might have gone to find Shinju and see about seeking asylum with the Fire Nation. He had certainly provided them with enough information for him to believe he merited it. She suspected he would get a rather unpleasant surprise on arrival. She just hoped they found him before he found Shinju. Being a commander for the enemy, albeit a traitorous one, meant he wouldn’t just be overlooked like she had been. They would most likely take him as a prisoner-of-war and send him to one of the offshore prison rigs that lay between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation. That may be enough to placate the supposedly riotous villagers of Ganhan, but it wouldn’t placate Katara. Her reputation was essentially riding on this bounty. Xoh had promised to sing her praises if she succeeded, but he hadn’t promised not to badmouth her if she failed. And Katara wasn’t willing to take that risk. She <em>had </em>to find him first.</p><p>“I’m in a bad mood,” she heard Zuko say from behind her. She turned back, and he immediately averted his gaze.</p><p>“Is that your way of apologising?” He scowled at her. “The scowl doesn’t help.”</p><p>“I’m just frustrated, okay?”</p><p>“I’d noticed. What are you so frustrated about?” Zuko’s expression softened at her question, and the scowl was wiped from his face.</p><p>“It’s not important,” he sighed. Then why was Zuko in such a foul mood, Katara thought. She considered just ignoring him. She would ignore pretty much anyone else, other than perhaps Sokka. But Zuko was, undeniably, interesting to Katara, firebending aside. She had learned plenty about him, without him even realising what he was giving away. He seemed to possess a belief that he had to prove himself, constantly. She suspected that was why he hadn’t ever given up on his dogged search for the Avatar, despite the fact that he would have been impossible to find until only a scant few months ago. She wasn’t sure who he felt he needed to prove himself <em>to</em>, but it was what seemed to drive him. Except for last night, when he had kept her company…he hadn’t been trying to prove himself then, she didn’t believe. He was horrible in social situations, so she didn’t think he could have had much social interaction on board his ship. She wondered if that was because he’d thought his crew were beneath him, or if they simply despised being lorded over by a sullen teenager. Perhaps both.</p><p>Had he accompanied her today to prove himself? Was he being deliberately grumpy now to prove something? She found herself continually interested, in Zuko and his behaviour. In a way, Zuko was actually somewhat of a useful model in how <em>not </em>to behave if Katara was looking to escape detection, so that was a useful benchmark for her <em>not</em> to aspire to. The thought amused her.</p><p>Katara decided she was curious as to what was bothering him, and suddenly turned her ostrich-horse around, forcing Zuko to pull his own to a halt. The frustration was again evident on his face.</p><p>“Look, Zuko, last night you gave me the chance to talk if I wanted to,” she said calmly. “I’m going to offer that same courtesy to you. So do you want to tell me what your problem actually is? Because I somehow don’t believe that it’s just because this is ‘taking too long.’”</p><p>“Not really,” Zuko mumbled in response after a pause, the frustration replaced with what looked like exhaustion. Or was it despair? Katara couldn’t quite tell.</p><p>“Fine,” Katara accepted. “But I’m going to ride ahead of you so you can do your thing in peace, okay? You’re welcome to join me once you’re done.” It wasn’t really a question and Katara wasn’t asking for permission. She turned back around and trotted off. Nonplussed, Zuko tapped his own ostrich-horse back into movement. He was surprised and confused at how easily Katara was taking his foul mood in her stride. She had offered him the chance to talk, but rather than pushing when he’d declined, she gave him the space he needed. His uncle, for all of his kind-heartedness, hadn’t always understood that. But then, his uncle wasn’t a complete mess like Zuko, so in a way it was a good thing for Iroh that he hadn’t. But it did make Zuko wonder – for Katara to have understood it so quickly with no clues or hints from Zuko…did that mean she was a ‘mess’ too?</p><p>****</p><p>“Do you see that?” Katara remarked. She pointed to a column of smoke in the distance – a very sloppily and hastily put together campfire, she reckoned. Zuko did see it, and nodded beside her. Zuko had heeded her words and held back for a while, but once he had seemingly calmed down, he did indeed join her. He had muttered a very gruff, barely audible ‘thanks’ before averting his gaze pointedly at the path ahead of them, and the silence fell over them once more. Katara couldn’t say she minded that Zuko was such a quiet companion. She had neither the energy nor the inclination for small talk, and it didn’t surprise her that Zuko didn’t either.</p><p>“How can you be sure it’s him?” Zuko asked, not condescendingly.</p><p>“We can’t,” she agreed. “Not without getting closer. We should go the rest of the way on foot. It’s not far.” She pulled her ostrich-horse to a halt and dismounted.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“We can’t risk him hearing us coming. Or either of them getting hurt if it turns violent.” Katara had no desire to walk if their ostrich-horses were put out of commission, especially not with the hulking brute in tow. Zuko realised she had a point, and berated himself for not thinking of that. He climbed off his own ostrich-horse, and tethered it beside Katara’s. He noticed her pat her own creature’s mane gently, and whisper to her. The ostrich-horse nuzzled her hand.</p><p>“Sorry, girl. No treats this time,” Katara smiled at her. The ostrich-horse nickered with disapproval, causing Katara to laugh softly.</p><p>“You talk to your ostrich-horse?” Katara looked up at him.</p><p>‘She understands me better than people,’ Katara thought wryly.</p><p>What she said was, “You should try it. Maybe then you wouldn’t feel the need to scowl all the time.”</p><p>‘I do <em>not </em>scowl all the time!’ Zuko thought indignantly, despite knowing that that was exactly what he did. He just didn’t like it when other people pointed it out.</p><p>“Whatever,” he muttered gruffly. “Let’s just go.” He made sure to grab his twin Dao swords from his pack before they set off.</p><p>Katara led the way as they began trekking towards the smoke column, Zuko following close behind. He realised then that although they had agreed to try and restrain Gow as quickly as possible, they didn’t actually have a strategy for doing so. “Katara,” he said softly.</p><p>“Mmm?”</p><p>“How do you want to do this? We never actually talked about it.” She stopped in front of him, considering.</p><p>“I usually just play it by ear,” she admitted. It was more fun that way. She always took the time to observe her surroundings first, and plot any potential escape routes should it look like it was getting out of hand, but beyond that, she allowed her target to lead the dance. As long as what they were doing excited her, she was content to dance to their tune. If it got dull, she just froze them and ended it quickly. But if they were ready to put up a fight, or any resistance at all, she indulged them. Until she grew bored. But she had to accept that Gow was different. All of her of her other targets had been non-benders. Even with Zuko backing her up, Gow was a different kettle of fish. And given how much was riding on this bounty, she couldn’t allow her desire for excitement to get in the way.</p><p>This part of the plains wasn’t quite so out in the open. The smoke column they had spotted was nestled within an earthbender’s paradise, surrounded by rock formations and boulders offering easy hiding places, and a low sandstone cliff with a perfectly smooth face, dusted by green shrubs. There were also more trees than she was used to near Ganhan, but they were spread quite far apart, sprouted from seeds scattered carelessly in the wind, not part of a larger entity. The trees could come in handy. If she could clamber up one, that would give her protection from Gow’s ground attacks…but would also make her more vulnerable if he decided to launch rocks at her… No, she would have to face him at ground level, and bear in mind what Zuko had mentioned about being lighter on her feet. Zuko seemed to operate largely with short, sharp bursts before moving to another position. Waterbending was different. Waterbending was mostly about slow, balanced movements, like the waves that trembled atop the icy seas they called home. The pillar of ice discs had worked reasonably well as it had kept Gow’s hands occupied, but he had managed to eventually break the cycle and pound his hammers on the ground.</p><p>“Okay,” Zuko nodded. “I’ll follow your lead.” He stayed close behind her as they crept quietly towards the fire. She noticed him scout their surroundings out of the corner of her eye. He didn’t seem to favour his right as she would have expected him to. Either he had managed to avoid losing his vision in his left eye when he got his scar, or he was good at covering it up. It was smart of him if it was the latter, she thought. It could turn out to be quite a debilitating handicap if any wily opponents noticed and took advantage of it. She quietly stored the information away.</p><p>As they had supposed, the source of the column of smoke was indeed a campfire, but the area surrounding it was bereft of whoever had started it. There was also a glaring absence of any of the usual hallmarks of a temporary camp, save for the fire itself. It was as if someone had started it and then just abandoned the area. Katara frowned at their findings. Something wasn’t right… If it was someone not on the run, they would surely have left <em>something </em>behind if they intended to return, and would have doused the flames if they weren’t. Even just a bedroll or a cooking pot. There were also no signs of a struggle having taken place, or any tracks that suggested more than one person had passed through recently.</p><p>To Katara’s mind, that really only left one possibility.</p><p>“He knows we’re here,” she breathed.</p><p>“This could be a trap,” Zuko agreed, having reached the same conclusion as Katara. The question was, was the earthbender still around, trying to lure them into an ambush? He asked Katara in a low voice, and she shrugged.</p><p>“I don’t know him that well,” she whispered. “I’m going to see if I can pick up a trail. Keep your eyes peeled.” He nodded stiffly in response. He was her second in this, he reminded himself even as he bristled at being expected to take orders from a waterbending peasant. He imagined his uncle chiding him if he made such a remark in his presence. Most likely, he would go off on a tirade about respecting other cultures and working together, and end it with an indecipherable proverb that made no sense to people who weren’t crazy like his uncle.</p><p>Zuko missed him.</p><p>After a few moments, Katara returned to where he stood. “He’s not here,” she said, unnecessarily loudly in Zuko’s opinion, but he didn’t comment on it. “We should keep looking. Someone as weak as him can’t have gotten far without help.” She was still speaking with a raised voice. Zuko frowned. “I probably don’t need you,” she continued at the same volume. “He just gets sloppy around fire. I want a <em>real </em>challenge.”</p><p>“You seemed to need me last night!” Zuko huffed. “I didn’t have to waste my time here! You know, if you-”</p><p>“Oh but I was holding back,” she loudly informed him. “I felt kinda bad for the guy, you know? Honestly, before I let him knock me down, the whole thing was kinda disappointing. I expected better. He wouldn’t stand a <em>chance </em>against me if I actually put some effort into it!”</p><p>“What are you <em>talking </em>about?!” Zuko hissed. He didn’t understand. Why had she suddenly changed her mind? Why was she being so obnoxiously loud? Was she trying to goad him again, get <em>him</em> to fight her? Had <em>that </em>been her plan all- His eyes widened as he looked behind her. “Get down!” he shouted, grabbing her wrist and dragging her into a crouch beside him just as a large boulder went flying over their heads. The rock smashed into a tree behind Zuko, and clattered deafeningly to the ground. Zuko’s mind began to wrap itself in panic, and his fists blazed as he prepared for the attack. He turned to Katara, and to his bewilderment, she wore a satisfied smirk on her face.</p><p>“Nice catch, Zuko,” she told him quickly. “I almost can’t believe that worked.” Almost. Men’s egos could be rather…pliable, Katara had found in the past few weeks. It didn’t often take much observation to learn just what stroked them…and what inflamed them to recklessness. Gow was a man who took pride in inspiring fear, even if it was only in docile civilian non-benders and the men under his command, and he had made no secret of how much he detested Katara for not submitting to him like everybody else.</p><p>After barely having a moment to catch their breaths, another boulder went sailing over their heads. This one shattered on impact, and Katara and Zuko both instinctively ducked as sharp fragments of rock rained down around them. It had come from the same direction as the last one, Katara realised. She quickly got up on to her feet and began running towards where the boulders had come from. Zuko rose and began to follow her, catching up to her easily. She still didn’t seem to have a plan, but he supposed the priority right now was actually <em>finding </em>the earthbender.</p><p>Another lump of rock came flying towards them on Zuko’s left. He bent into a stance and punched a fireball out, intercepting the rock and knocking it off-course. Katara spun on her heel and began running instead towards where the latest boulder had come from. She knew that, as an earthbender, Gow could probably pull the rocks into his grip no matter where he was standing, but the few earthbenders she’d seen in action had always pushed or thrown their projectiles <em>away</em> from themselves. She presumed Gow was no different.</p><p>Zuko quickly grew frustrated as more and more rocks were launched at them, and began simply blasting them out of the air rather than dodging. Following the rocks, they reached the cliff-face, when Katara skidded to a halt. It wasn’t that high, she mused. The surface was too smooth for anyone to scramble up easily, but for an earthbender this wouldn’t present any kind of challenge. If she was Gow, she thought, she would want to take advantage of the high ground if she could. How silly of her not to have considered previously that that was exactly what Gow had probably done, and that was why he seemed to be evading them so easily – he literally wasn’t on their level. She had underestimated him, she realised, a dangerous mistake. She had hoped her taunting would have been enough to flush him out and get him to face them directly. But with such an advantage at his disposal, why would he? She wouldn’t…</p><p>If Katara was on her own, she would use the water from her waterskin to bend an ice platform underneath her feet and elevate herself to the top, not being a strong climber. But she wasn’t at all convinced that her waterskin held enough to hold both her and Zuko, and she wasn’t prepared to risk either of them getting injured while Gow was still at large. Annoyingly, there were no streams or rivers nearby. But this was still a part of the arid plains, which meant they didn’t get a lot of rainfall. So there had to be a source of water somewhere. The trees and shrubs had to survive somehow…</p><p>Katara lowered herself to the ground and closed her eyes as if she was meditating. Even when she couldn’t see water, she could sometimes feel it. And after a few short moments, she sensed it – groundwater. And lots of it. Katara hadn’t had much practice bending water she couldn’t see, but she had to try. Ever since she had had her water taken from her by General Fong, she had worked hard to ensure she didn’t find herself in that position again. She was stronger now and more focused, she knew, thanks to Pakku’s training, but it was more than that. Since becoming this way, she felt much clearer in her mind. She reasoned it was because she no longer had emotions to weigh her down. She was already an exceptional waterbender, but this did seem to give her a slight edge. Zuko could only watch curiously as she began to raise her arms, trembling, as if lifting an invisible weight. The ground below her suddenly grew darker until a puddle formed around her feet which only grew as she rose.</p><p>Satisfied, she quietly beckoned Zuko over to where she was standing, and froze the water underneath their feet.</p><p>“Crouch down,” she instructed, doing so herself. Zuko glanced at her uncertainly, and then let out a shocked yelp as the platform suddenly began to rise at Katara’s behest and he practically fell to his knees from the force.</p><p>“You could have warned me!” he hissed.</p><p>“I literally just told you to crouch,” Katara replied drily.</p><p>Zuko opened his mouth and was about to launch into a tirade about just <em>how </em>was he supposed to know she was going to do that and he could barely keep his balance on fucking <em>ice </em>when Katara clapped a gloved hand over his mouth, and shook her head. As Zuko began to seethe, they reached the top and she pulled her hand away. Zuko quickly understood why she had needed him to be silent, for as soon as the platform crested the peak of the cliff, they were greeted by spinning discs of rock. Gow must have heard him and he cursed inwardly. The discs were flying out from a pillar of rock, and they could see Gow swiping at it with his hammers. An imitation of Katara’s own move from last night. She would have been flattered, had she had the time to consider it. Grabbing Zuko’s wrist, Katara pulled him onto the clifftop and melted the platform to form a water-whip, and used it to begin knocking the discs out of the sky. Zuko followed suit with fireballs until they finally came face-to-face with a very furious-looking Gow.</p><p>“There you are!” Katara said brightly.</p><p>Gow narrowed his eyes. “You just couldn’t leave it alone, could you, bitch?”</p><p>At his words, Zuko’s fists became sheathed in flame and he stood by Katara’s side. The simmering energy was just begging to be unleashed, but he forced himself to hold back and follow Katara’s lead. This was her world, not his.</p><p>Katara wasted no time and leapt into action, striking at Gow with her water-whip. He deflected it easily with his hammers, but Zuko took that as his cue to start firing. He blasted the two fireballs he had had stored up around his fists. Gow quickly brought up a stone shield to absorb the flames. He then smashed his hammers onto the ground, causing it to begin quaking beneath his opponents’ feet, and with a loud cry he shoved the wall of rock right at them. Katara and Zuko both dove to opposite sides of the wall to evade it, but Gow took advantage of their momentary distraction to begin launching more projectiles at them. It didn’t matter that they both were no longer standing in the same spot – his twin hammers didn’t need to be used in tandem in order for him to be able to earthbend with them. Zuko didn’t have time to draw his swords and could settle for little more than simply blasting the jagged rocks out of the sky. Gow was relentless in his attacks, and Zuko felt like he was losing too much ground too fast as he began backing away towards the edge, unable to make any headway.</p><p>Katara on the other hand used the water to send up a shield of her own made of thick ice. The rocks either bounced off harmlessly or became encrusted in the frozen wall. The only downside was it meant she now only had the water in her waterskin at her disposal…unless…</p><p>She snapped her head around to her left to check on Zuko, and noticed that he was getting closer to the edge. Too close for her liking, but it did mean that Gow was probably occupied enough to give her the opening she needed. Katara made a mental note of Gow’s position before placing her palms on the wall of ice and melted the outer layers. She leaned backwards, streaming the newly-released water behind her, and then lunged forwards. With the force of the water behind it, she lifted the ice block and sent it careening towards where she had last seen Gow, hoping he hadn’t moved. She felt immensely satisfied as she heard his cry of shock and then pain as he failed to block it and it crashed into him, knocking him off his feet. Katara ran towards him while he lay winded on the ground, preparing to melt the rest of the wall and enshroud Gow in the water to freeze him in place. But as she ran, the earth beneath her suddenly gave way and she stumbled. She cried out and swore loudly as her leg fell upon a jagged, razor-sharp rock fragment that tore and sliced at her skin. She could feel the blood beginning to pool around the wound and seep out.</p><p>“Fuck,” she cursed under her breath. But even with Zuko backing her up, she didn’t have time to waste examining it, never mind healing it. She gingerly tested it and although it sent sharp shooting pains down her leg, she could still move. She scrambled back up, ignoring the deep, throbbing ache of her protesting leg as she dragged herself over the edge of the shallow hole. She faced Gow once more, an expression of determination etched on her features. Gow smirked smugly at her and raised his hammers to do the spirits only knew what.</p><p>Zuko suddenly ran up behind her and lashed out at Gow with a fire-whip, followed by a volley of searing fireballs, putting a swift and decisive end to whatever move Gow had planned. Katara pulled the water that had collapsed into a puddle back towards her. She raised her arms above her head, then stepped forward and thrust her arms in front of her. The water rose like a wave and raced towards the disgraced commander. Gow could only watch in shock and then dread as it crashed down over him. He shielded his head with his arms but there was nothing more he could do. He could block ice, solid as rock, but he could do nothing to combat water that moved as fluidly, freely and frantically as the waves on the ocean. He was knocked down again by the force of the water, but this time Katara took no chances and it froze on contact with him until he was completely encased in ice, hammers and all. Katara released a shuddering sigh at the sight, and she sniggered to herself.</p><p>That <em>had</em> been challenging, she thought gleefully. And thrilling. She couldn’t remember if subduing a bounty had ever been so exhilarating. Even with the pain, she couldn’t keep the triumphant smirk off her face. It was time to move on from non-benders, she decided. Certainly the type of easy non-bender bandits that swarmed the refugee trail near Ganhan. She wanted more hunts like this, hunts that ignited her nerves with indescribable pleasure, that made her feel <em>alive</em>.</p><p>She winced as she accidentally placed her weight on her injured leg. It failed to support her and she collapsed to the ground with a groan of pain. She could take a look at it now. Despite the loud sounds of straining and cursing, Gow wasn’t going anywhere.</p><p>“Keep an eye on him, would you?” she muttered to Zuko even as she lifted her skirt up to her knees to tend to her leg. Zuko’s eyes widened as he took in the deep, red gash that ran across her shin. Blood seemed to be pouring out of it, he realised with alarm, but Katara didn’t look the least bit concerned. Zuko was unsure of what to do. His uncle would know. He would probably have Zuko crouch down beside her and offer her useless comfort while he went rooting around for this plant or that, which may be medicinal or may be poisonous. His uncle wasn’t the world’s strongest botanist, to put it mildly, as they had found out in his search for tealeaves shortly after fleeing from Azula.</p><p>“Can I…do anything?” he asked her uncertainly.</p><p>“No, I can heal it. Just make sure he doesn’t go anywhere,” Katara replied dismissively. She uncapped her waterskin and streamed the contents out. The water gathered around her hand like a glove, and as she laid it to her torn flesh, it began to glow brightly. Zuko watched with fascination as her skin began to knit itself closed, casting idle glances towards the frozen commander occasionally to make sure he hadn’t somehow developed firebending during his brief imprisonment and been able to melt himself out. Once Katara’s leg was healed, she discarded the water and stood up, testing her leg again. It was fine.</p><p>They approached Gow together and Katara reached into her cloak for the bundle of rope she’d kept tied around her waist. Realising that what she was planning involved unfreezing the eartbender, Zuko drew one of his blades and aimed it at the larger man’s throat, a very clear warning of what would happen if he tried to fight again.</p><p>“Fucking bitch!” Gow spat.</p><p>“Fucking asshole,” Katara retorted calmly.</p><p>“How do you plan on getting him down the cliff?” Zuko asked. Katara paused, and let out a hum of contemplation. She didn’t think she had enough water to support all three of them, not given Gow’s stature. She turned to her bounty.</p><p>“If I untie you, will you earthbend us down?” she asked him politely.</p><p>“I’ll earthbend you into the fucking ground, whore!”</p><p>“We can always just drop you over the edge if you prefer,” Katara suggested. “It doesn’t make a difference to me if you break a bone or two.” It would probably make him easier to transport if he was in pain, now that she considered it. Katara smiled sweetly at him. “It’s your choice.” She decided that she wouldn’t waste her energy healing him if he chose to be stubborn. Unless he wouldn’t be able to walk. Or if it was life-threatening. She had always brought her bounties back alive, and she didn’t intend to change that now. And if Katara was being honest, she still wasn’t certain if she even wanted to take a life. She was a bounty hunter, not an assassin. Besides, Xoh had seemed very particular about Gow facing justice. If they only ended up executing him for treason anyway, that was their business. Katara’s involvement ended when she got paid.</p><p>Zuko nodded in approval, and he couldn’t help but admire the waterbender’s tactics. It was a cold and calculating strategy, but it was no worse than anything Zuko had done in his pursuit of the Avatar. At Pohuai Stronghold, disguised as the Blue Spirit, he had crossed his swords over the Avatar’s throat to, ironically, secure his release from Zhao’s captivity. His plan to take the Avatar captive himself had ultimately backfired, but his gambit had paid off and they had managed to escape. Katara’s gambit, as it turned out, also paid off very begrudgingly and with copious amounts of swearing. Zuko kept one blade hovering near the earthbender’s throat the entire time until Katara had safely bound him once more.</p><p>****</p><p>The journey back felt much shorter despite their slower pace. On the way out to find Gow, Katara had led them on a somewhat roundabout route as they searched, but now of course they could just ride directly to Ganhan. The going was much slower, it turned out, as they had to contend with their bounty walking as leisurely as possible without being dragged, seemingly on purpose to try and irk them. Per Katara’s plan, they had tethered him to both ostrich-horse saddles to reduce his chances of breaking free by sheer brute strength. Zuko had also suggested that they each carry one of his hammers, so that if Gow did somehow manage to overpower one of them, he wouldn’t have both of his weapons at his disposal. Impressed with his thinking, Katara had readily agreed.</p><p>Gow was indeed an extremely irritating captive. He had started the journey off seething with quiet resentment, but as it became clear that they had no intention of stopping to rest before returning to Ganhan, he made his displeasure at that notion quite obvious. “I’ve been walking all day!” he complained loudly for the umpteenth time.</p><p>“Should have thought about that before escaping,” Katara retorted.</p><p>“Fucking bitch!” Katara sighed and shook her head, but ignored him. Zuko, for his part, was beginning to bristle at the slurs aimed towards the waterbender. But he remained silent, not feeling it was his place to interject when she seemed so unbothered by his crap. Not to mention he knew she was perfectly capable of defending herself if they did upset her.</p><p>“What’s his problem with you anyway?” Zuko asked her quietly as they rode, ignoring Gow’s grumbling and cursing from behind them.</p><p>“He’s always been like that,” Katara told him. “He kicked it up a notch after I wouldn’t fuck him, though.”</p><p>“What? Are you serious?”</p><p>“He’s a petty, petty man,” Katara shrugged nonchalantly. Zuko turned back to their captive, scowling. He knew the earthbender was vile, a bully who enjoyed preying on those he considered weak – the similarities between him and Admiral Zhao were quite remarkable, Zuko thought – but he hadn’t realised the full extent of it, just how far it spread. He was probably a lowlife scumbag who had to pay a hefty amount to be allowed anywhere near a woman (with her consent), and yet still managed to be arrogant enough to believe that he was entitled to the attentions of women, apparently no matter how young they were. He wasn’t sure of Katara’s age, but he didn’t imagine she could be more than a year into adulthood, at least by Fire Nation standards. The age of majority in the Fire Nation was sixteen, but he didn’t know enough about the other nations’ cultures to be able to say what it was in the Water Tribes or the Earth Kingdom. Nor was he really inclined to ask. It wasn’t relevant. Katara being considered an adult didn’t change the fact that Gow had to be at least in his thirties. He began to wonder if Gow had at least been charming, or if he had just tried to intimidate her into it… Though Katara had clearly rebuffed him, the thought still sickened him.</p><p>It had always boggled his mind how in parts of the Earth Kingdom, women were seen as lesser. It wasn’t so in the Fire Nation, and as far as he knew, it never had been. Women were just as readily sought after as labourers as men, the Army and Navy were just as keen to recruit women as men (or conscript, if voluntary sign-ups fell below an arbitrary, pre-determined quota for that year), and women could hold any office a man could. Although it didn’t seem to happen very often when Zuko was growing up. That war room, at least, had been filled with mostly male generals, with only two women completing their number. But it still happened. From what he’d gathered during his banishment, women in the Earth Kingdom were expected to remain “virtuous” before marriage, then manage the family home and not do much else. There were of course Fire Nation families that operated in a similar fashion, mostly confined within the nobility, but even those women were offered the chance to learn to defend themselves and could go out to work if they chose. Noblewomen didn’t not work because they were women, they didn’t work because it would be seen as unbefitting of their status. In a challenge, a woman was expected to hold her own just as much as a man, except in cases of disparaged honour. That was the only time a husband or male blood relative was expected to defend her and fight in her stead rather than giving her the choice of whether to deal with it herself. It was true that Zuko was neither Katara’s husband nor a blood relative, but if Gow kept going on, he didn’t think he’d be able to hold his tongue.</p><p>Zuko had begun to feel a bit differently about Katara, now that the fight was over and they were on their way back to Ganhan. He had always known she was a competent opponent, but he found he could appreciate that a lot more when he wasn’t the one fighting her! He really had been dangerously close to the cliff-edge, unable to gain ground on Gow’s merciless attacks, before Katara had incapacitated him, in a way he would never have expected. She had practically moved like an earthbender when she’d thrown the wall of ice at Gow. And the wave she had used at the end had been impressively powerful. She had always been strong, but he noted she had come leaps and bounds since having found a master to teach her. She had also proved to be very adaptable and innovative with her bending. That made her worthy of at least basic respect, he thought.</p><p>As they rode, to Zuko’s increasing chagrin, Gow’s comments didn’t stop. He would whine about being tired, Katara would retort, he’d call her a bitch or a whore and then fall silent, before the cycle would begin anew. Eventually, Gow seemed to have decided that there would be no consequences to ramping it up. Katara never did anything more than calmly taunt him back, refusing to engage with him further. Emboldened, Gow ceased with his whining and simply began jeering at her. He had a vain hope that if he riled them up enough, he would have a chance to overpower them and escape. Even if they didn’t rise to it, that didn’t mean he had to make it pleasant for them.</p><p>“Have you moved on from the greenleaf, then?” Gow called, smirking. “Fuck, I knew you were easy but I never thought even you’d stoop so low to become an ashmaker’s whore.” Katara ignored him. Gow switched his attention to Zuko. “What’s she like, ashmaker? Is she any good?” Zuko had been staring vaguely into the distance, but at Gow’s word, his head snapped up and he turned to glare at the earthbender. “Is she tight? I bet she’s tight. That little prick she had under her thumb was…well, I’m sure you can guess.” Fuming, Zuko suddenly pulled harshly on the reins of his ostrich-horse, bringing the creature to a stop. Katara did the same.</p><p>“I’ve had enough of his whining,” she muttered placidly. “I’m gagging him.” She jumped down from her ostrich-horse and began rooting through her pack. Zuko agreed that he had had enough, but he also decided that simply gagging the asshole was being too generous. Even if his comments didn’t bother Katara, they were beginning to bother <em>him</em>. He wasn’t going to let Gow just get away with this...it was very clear to Zuko that Gow was being intentionally aggravating, but unlike Katara he couldn’t just calmly ignore him. He could feel the old, usual frustration begin to simmer, just begging to be let out somewhere. If Gow wanted to get a rise out of him, he was going to get one and Zuko would make him regret it.</p><p>“Let me handle this?” Zuko asked her. She looked up at him in surprise, but shrugged.</p><p>“Be my guest.” Zuko dismounted, ignoring the bundle of cloth Katara proffered to him as Zuko marched up to the earthbender. Gow wore a smug expression on his face, satisfied that he had finally gotten a reaction.</p><p>“Apologise,” Zuko stated simply, glaring at the earthbender. Gow merely smirked at him. Zuko’s eyes narrowed. “Apologise to her…right now,” he said dangerously in a low voice. Katara watched them with curiosity, stepping towards the pair. She crossed her arms across her chest, waiting to see what they would do next.</p><p>“Why would I do that?” Gow sneered, completely missing (or ignoring) the menace behind Zuko’s words. “She’s just a common whore.” Zuko had to resist the urge to strike him. There was no honour in assaulting a man who was bound and couldn’t fight back, he reminded himself. But there was also no honour in letting him carry on with his vulgar words.</p><p>“You are going to get on your knees and apologise to her!” Zuko commanded, incensed. “And don’t make me ask you again.” When Gow refused to submit, Zuko stepped behind him and delivered a swift kick to the back of his knees, not hard enough to cause much pain but just in the right spot to force them to buckle. Gow collapsed into a kneel, cursing. Zuko placed a hand under the man’s chin and forced it upwards so that he was looking at Katara. Her eyes were wide with fascination watching the scene unfold, and she had an indecipherable expression on her face. Zuko paid it no mind, focusing instead on the stubborn earthbender who still hadn’t uttered a word. Zuko leaned in close. “I’m a firebender, remember?” he whispered menacingly. “So far, I’ve been in control,” he warned him. “But when I get angry, I sometimes can’t help what, or who, gets burnt…”</p><p>Zuko knew he was bluffing. He wouldn’t use his flames on a bound man, not matter how despicable. But he hoped that he sounded convincing enough that Gow wouldn’t realise. As if to prove his point, Zuko ignited a flame in the hand that had previously been pressing down on his shoulder, moving it close enough for Gow to feel the heat. Gow began sweating, and huffed angrily.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he mumbled in a sulky tone.</p><p>“I didn’t catch that. Did you?” Zuko looked up to Katara. She shook her head in acquiescence, biting her lower lip. “Louder,” Zuko instructed.</p><p>“I’m sorry!” Gow spat, glaring at her.</p><p>“For what?” Zuko prompted him, making his flame brighter.</p><p>“I’m sorry for calling you an ashmaker’s whore,” Gow conceded, attempting to remain defiant, but his voice was laced with fear. It seemed to satisfy Zuko. He extinguished the flame.</p><p>“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” He released his hold on the man and walked back towards Katara.</p><p>“What about for hitting me?” Katara piped up.</p><p>“That was a fair fight!” Gow protested. Zuko and Katara exchanged glances.</p><p>“No, it really wasn’t,” Katara pointed out. “I was already down by then. But that’s not the time I meant. Do you remember the tavern?”</p><p>Zuko paused. He turned to Katara, and asked in a soft voice, “He’s hit you before?”</p><p>“Yeah…when I wouldn’t go to bed with him,” Katara told him. “He backhanded me then, too.”</p><p>That was the last straw for Zuko. He took a deep shuddering breath, a cold clarity settling over him as the frustration was replaced with anger. Real anger. How <em>dare </em>he? As Zuko began to see red, he realised that he no longer cared if he was getting involved when he shouldn’t, he no longer cared if it wasn’t honourable just because Gow was bound. He had <em>struck </em>a woman just for quite reasonably refusing to let his grubby hands touch her? If Katara wasn’t so strong, what else would he have done?! What else would he have tried? Not knowing or caring if this was the ‘good’ thing to do, but certain in his conviction, Zuko spun around and stomped back up to the earhbender. Before the other man could blink, Zuko landed a hard punch squarely on his jaw with a loud crack. Gow grunted in pain, his head snapping to the side. Behind him, he heard Katara exclaim, but one quick look at her face told him she wasn’t horrified. Before Zuko could stop himself, he landed another punch, this time to his nose. Breathing heavily, Zuko raised his fist once more. Gow flinched.</p><p>Although he was incredibly tempted to strike him a third time, Zuko restrained himself. He had already emerged as the victor of this encounter. The flinch had sealed it, not mention the blood that was now pouring from his nose. Carrying on would just make him as petty and despicable as this scumbag. And he didn’t want to be like him. He lowered his fist and turned away.</p><p>“<em>Damn</em>, Zuko!” Katara remarked, thoroughly impressed as they mounted their ostrich-horses once more. “Where did that come from?”</p><p>“I don’t like bullies,” Zuko muttered. “Are you okay?” The innocent question coming from his lips was almost as much of a surprise to Zuko as it was to Katara. She nodded resolutely, still regarding him with curiosity, but she didn’t voice whatever was on her mind.</p><p>****</p><p>The remainder of the journey was uneventful. Zuko remained completely silent, seemingly having gotten over his unexpected burst of rage, and resumed his usual quiet scowling, even when he was just looking at the path ahead. Katara couldn’t help but steal glimpses of him from time to time, but he didn’t seem to move, and he didn’t once meet her gaze.</p><p>Zuko continued to be unpredictable and full of surprises. Try as she might, Katara just couldn’t figure him out. She was getting much better at reading people, and faster, but Zuko honestly didn’t make much sense to her. His mood had steadily soured throughout their outbound journey for no discernible reason. He then perked up during their battle, which Katara could understand. She had been growing bored herself until things got exciting. That she could get a handle on. When Gow had resorted to childish and petty jibes that did little more than reveal just what a pathetic waste of flesh and breathing space he was, Katara had mostly ignored him. It genuinely wasn’t worth her time and energy. Gow could think and say what he liked as far as she was concerned. At the end of their journey, he would be behind bars facing probable execution, or at the very least a miserable life of hard labour or imprisonment or whatever the Earth Kingdom did to traitors. And Katara would be flusher in gold than she had ever been before with a rather impressive entry to add to her repertoire, not to mention Xoh’s contracted promise to spread the word and boost her reputation. And it was extremely clear to Katara that all Gow wanted was for them to slip up or become distracted so he could attempt to escape again. Why he thought he would ever get away with that was lost on her – they had tracked him down once and would do so again, but then again, Gow was a simple creature. She had been content to simply let him continue spouting nonsense, but when he showed no signs of stopping or even tiring, despite all his complaining about not having rested, she had eventually grown sick of having to listen to his whiny voice.</p><p>But Zuko…spirits, <em>Zuko</em>. What had that been about? She didn’t understand why he had got so wound up, and so quickly. The comments had pretty much all been aimed at Katara, so what did Zuko have to get so upset about? Not that she’d minded. On the contrary, even though she had been a mere bystander, it had been rather…thrilling to watch. In more ways than one. At first she had been intrigued when Zuko asked for him to handle it – <em>asked</em>, not told. Even in his apparent fury, he had given her the choice. And the <em>way </em>Zuko had ‘handled’ him… Her body had flooded with a sensation she knew all too well. And despite his obvious rage, he had remained in control. That been <em>intoxicating</em>. There was no brutishness, no charging in blindly and shooting flames haphazardly like she had seen him do on multiple occasions. No, he had been remarkably collected, using his fire as no more than a threat, but it had been enough. Until the end that was. Katara genuinely hadn’t known what Zuko would do. She hadn’t even really intended to incense him further. She had, however, been very curious, and couldn’t resist the temptation to find out how they would react.</p><p>It was interesting to Katara that the two men she had told about Gow striking her had both reacted so aggressively. She supposed it wasn’t too strange on Paik’s part. He had said he cared about her, which was news to Katara but not worth wasting time thinking about. But why had Zuko been so up in arms about it? Why had Zuko cared? She didn’t understand…far unlike virtually every other person she had comes across, Zuko seemed to only become more enigmatic as time went on, only seemed to make less sense just as she thought she’d grasped at least a basic understanding of him. Far from frustrating Katara, she merely found it continually fascinating. <em>He </em>was fascinating. Katara didn’t know what that implied or what she could realistically do about it, at least as long as they had Gow in their custody, but she imagined it would be worth trying to tempt him to help her finish that bottle tonight. She had questions. Lots of them. Maybe after this he would be in a mood to talk.</p><p>Zuko was extremely hesitant about entering the village once they reached the outskirts. He remembered what Xoh had said the night before. He wasn’t afraid, he knew he could take on a bunch of non-benders without difficulty so long as none of the bastards snuck up behind him and put him in another chokehold, but he also didn’t relish the idea of being attacked on sight. It was the principle of it.</p><p>But as it turned out, his fears were unfounded. A soldier who was standing sentry just outside the village waved them over once he spotted them. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the commander bound and walking behind them.</p><p>“Where do you want him?” Katara asked by way of a greeting as they pulled to a stop.</p><p>“I-I’ll go get the lieutenant,” the soldier stammered hastily, and ran off in the direction of the barracks.</p><p>“Why’s <em>he </em>so jumpy?” Zuko remarked.</p><p>“Beats me,” Katara shrugged.</p><p>It didn’t take long for Xoh to come and greet them himself. He looked meaningfully up at Katara.</p><p>“Don’t take this the wrong way, Raina, but I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see you,” he commented. Katara wasn’t clear just how exactly she was <em>supposed </em>to take it, but refrained from replying. “The villagers are on the verge of rioting,” Xoh explained. “They were…fucking pissed when they found out he’d escaped, I won’t lie.”</p><p>“Well, here he is,” Katara said breezily. Xoh made a move towards the commander, but Katara moved her ostrich-horse to block his path. “No, we get paid first.” Xoh looked up at her in disbelief.</p><p>“Raina, come on, you know I’m a man of my word-”</p><p>“Do I? After last night, I don’t exactly trust you.”</p><p>Xoh sighed. “Fine. Have it your way. Bring him to the barracks and we’ll make the exchange there.”</p><p>“What about Zuko?”</p><p>“What…what about him?”</p><p>“Are you going to attack him just for being a firebender again?”</p><p>“No, of course not!” Xoh protested.</p><p>“You can’t blame us for thinking that you might,” Zuko pointed out.</p><p>“I apologised for that,” Xoh reminded them gravely. “Look…Zuko…” he seemed to struggle to get his name out, which didn’t go unremarked by either of them, “my men are under orders to let you both pass peacefully and welcome you to the village. And if any of the villagers try anything, and I really don’t think they will, my men will put a stop to it. Is that good enough?”</p><p>“Let’s just get this over with,” Zuko sighed.</p><p>Zuko drew the line at walking into the barracks themselves, however, and waited by the ostrich-horses as Katara ventured inside. The street was deserted save for a few soldiers milling about. Some of them glanced at him warily, but for the most part he was ignored. That suited Zuko just fine. He was only waiting until Katara came back with his share of their reward. After that, he would be on his way, and chalk this up as one of the most bizarre days of his life.</p><p>It was a story to tell his uncle, he decided, if he saw him again.</p><p>****</p><p>“Raina?” Katara looked up from the gold that Xoh had given her. She had insisted the money be equally split into two pouches, but still took the time to count each coin. Xoh bristled as he watched her but said nothing. Paik had told him this was just something she did.</p><p>“Paik,” she said. “I didn’t expect you to be up so quickly.” His hand was rigidly attached to a splint, and he walked stiffly, delicately cradling his ribs on his left side with his free hand. He looked sickly pale but still managed to draw up a smile upon seeing her.</p><p>“He shouldn’t be,” Xoh admonished, but didn’t order the injured soldier back to bed. “I’ll leave you two to talk. Will you be joining us in the tavern tonight, Raina?” After a pause, he added, “I hope you can. After…everything, we’d like to thank you properly. Also, Oli was <em>not</em> happy with me for…well, you know.”</p><p>“That you asked me to leave or I’d be arrested?” Katara finished for him. Xoh frowned but nodded. “That’s nice. I had no idea he cared.” She knew that what Oli probably <em>really </em>cared about was the steady income he had earned from Katara during her month in Ganhan…but then again, he had freely given her the bottle as a parting gift while muttering under his breath about ‘fucking soldiers’ interfering in their lives and ‘why can’t they just leave well enough alone’. Perhaps he, like Paik, was actually fond of her outside of the benefits she brought. “I don’t know. Maybe.” She wanted to talk to Zuko first.</p><p>“Your friend is invited, too,” Xoh added. “I already spoke to Oli. He said he’s happy to offer the extra room to him.”</p><p>“Really?” Katara raised her eyebrows in surprise.</p><p>“He said if you think he can be trusted, that’s good enough for him.” Katara nodded. Oli really was a good man, she decided. He had never had much to say about Zuko in any event, everything had happened so quickly since he had arrived and stirred things up, but if the villagers intended to remain just as stubbornly and irrationally hostile, it could potentially cost him a lot of business.</p><p>Then again, his tavern was the only drinking establishment for days.</p><p>True to his word, Xoh departed and left Paik and Katara alone. Xoh wandered outside, hoping to speak to the firebender himself. None of his men had been happy about the prospect that Raina had taken him to assist her, Paik especially, fearing that she would be kidnapped and Gow would remain at large. At Xoh’s withering glare, perfected to almost rival the commander’s (<em>ex</em>-commander, he reminded himself) they had shut up about it. Other than Luhan, they hadn’t been there when he’d hired Raina for the job. Once Xoh got over the fact that this Zuko was a firebender and saw him as a human being, he too decided to trust Raina’s judgement. The soldier who had announced their return had practically been having a fit that they <em>had </em>returned, both of them, with Gow in tow. Although he wasn’t thrilled he now had <em>two </em>officers in custody, Metan having been apprehended almost immediately, this had been the best outcome he could have hoped for, given everything.</p><p>Hong had been released earlier that day when, as Raina had predicted, Ave had come down to make her confession. She told him that Gow had cornered her and blackmailed her into it, threatening to ship her father off to the frontline if she didn’t. Whilst that was definitely something he knew Gow was capable of, Xoh wasn’t entirely sure he believed everything she was saying. But he feared that if he arrested her and the rest of the villagers got wind of it, which they would courtesy of her father, that could be the pebble that loosed the landslide and cause a revolt. She had been crying, and seemed genuinely remorseful, and he had decided to let her go free. Even Hong had seemed to believe that was the right decision, which was a relief for Xoh. He didn’t want to imagine the quandary he would have been facing if Hong had insisted on pressing charges.</p><p>“So…” Paik began uncertainly. “You managed to find him then?” Katara nodded. Obviously she had found him. He wouldn’t be in the cells if she hadn’t. “Is it…is it true you took the firebender with you?” Katara nodded again. “He…Luhan said he helped you last night, too.”</p><p>“He did,” Katara confirmed.</p><p>“Well…then I guess I should be grateful,” Paik sighed, swaying slightly. With his broken ribs, standing still was a struggle for him. “Although I can’t say I’m really happy about it.”</p><p>“What business is it of yours who I take with me?” Katara asked him, fixing him with a hard stare. Paik lowered his own gaze, a heavy weight filling his heart. He had suspected that he was about to lose her. He just hadn’t wanted to believe that it would be to a firebender.</p><p>“It’s not, I guess,” he conceded sadly. He sighed. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Why, Raina? Why don’t you stay? You’re welcome here. I was furious when I heard the lieutenant had kicked you out. I would have come after you if the others hadn’t help me down,” he joked.</p><p>“That wouldn’t have been smart,” Katara remarked.</p><p>“You haven’t answered my question.”</p><p>“Why does it matter?”</p><p>Paik sighed again and closed his eyes in defeat. He knew. He knew what that meant. And it saddened him. He wasn’t in love with Raina, but he had grown very fond of her. He cared about her and could see a potential future with her. He thought perhaps one day they might settle down together. He could retire from living in the barracks and build a home for them. He would have loved her, if she’d given him the chance.</p><p>“Was I ever…anything to you?” he asked her sadly.</p><p>“I thought we both knew what this was,” Katara replied softly. “I thought we were in the same place.”</p><p>“You’re beautiful, Raina, but you were <em>never </em>just something pretty to take to bed.” And Paik was fast realising that was all he had been to Raina. Someone to keep her company at night, and someone to give her leads on work as and when she wanted. He had known men who treated women like that, but he’d never encountered the tiles being flipped. And Paik wasn’t one of those men. “I…I always liked you from the start. I thought…well, it doesn’t matter now. Even though this wasn’t how I wanted things to go, you’re an incredible woman, Raina. I hope that firebender knows that.”</p><p>‘Oh, he thinks I’m leaving him for Zuko,’ Katara realised. She didn’t bother to correct him. But she took in the melancholy expression on his face, the way he seemed to have wilted. Her leaving was really affecting him. He had done a lot for her during her time here. He had made it bearable for longer than she would have expected. She would have left the morning after dropping Hong off had it not been for Paik offering her another bounty…and then another, and another, until it had become routine for them. As much as she had enjoyed the sex they shared, she’d always viewed it as part of the deal. Perhaps that made her a whore in the eyes of society, but society baffled her for the most part, so why should she care about that? It had never occurred to her that it wasn’t the same for Paik. But she didn’t feel guilty. Why should she? It wasn’t her fault Paik hadn’t understood the arrangement. It wasn’t her fault Paik had developed feelings. It was what it was. But she was in a good, mellow mood from the day’s events. Being who she was now didn’t mean she was incapable of gentleness sometimes, even if it didn’t directly benefit her.</p><p>“I should have been kinder to you, shouldn’t I?” she sighed.</p><p>“Yeah,” Paik agreed weakly. “You probably should have.”</p><p>“You’re a good man, Paik,” she told him honestly. “And one day you’ll meet a good woman who gets that.” She offered him what she thought was an encouraging smile. Paik seemed to accept it.</p><p>****</p><p>Katara walked back out to the stables, expecting to find Zuko standing there and scowling at anything that moved, but he was nowhere to be seen. Though his ostrich-horse was still there alongside hers in the stable, happily munching from an open bag of feed. A tendril of frustration passed through her. If Xoh had done something-</p><p>“There you are!” Luhan greeted cheerfully.</p><p>“Where is Zuko?” she asked accusingly.</p><p>“Oli took him to the tavern,” Luhan explained. Katara frowned in confusion. “Once he heard you were back, he came here looking for you. He practically had to drag your friend along, but I guess the promise of a bed and a hot meal got him in the end,” he chuckled.</p><p>“Most of us are down there already,” Luhan continued, picking up and moving the bag feed, to a very displeased whine from the ostrich-horse. “Are you joining us? We owe you a drink.” If that was truly where Zuko was anyway, Katara decided that she would. She was in high spirits. Today had gone well and had been immensely satisfying. She could stand an evening of blending, she thought. And seeing Oli again would be nice.</p><p>“Actually, I think you’ll find you owe me several,” Katara smirked. Luhan chuckled in agreement.</p><p>“You know, we’re running another pool tonight,” he said conversationally as they made their way to the tavern. “You want in?”</p><p>“Oh yeah? Who’s trying their luck this time?”</p><p>“You’ll never believe it…”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As always, thanks so much for the comments, bookmarks and kudos! You guys are great :)</p><p>Katara's injury was inspired by real life. I've actually managed to hurt myself the way Katara did while I was travelling around New Zealand, and I have the scar to prove it! Not being a waterbender, I couldn't heal myself, but a couple of guardian angels (one of whom was a junior doctor, as luck would have it) helped me down the hill. Their kindness has always stayed with me. If by some bizarre stroke of serendipity, either of you happen to be reading this, thank you from the bottom of my heart.</p><p>This concludes the Ganhan arc of this story. I won't give too much away, but let's just say Katara encounters some familiar faces in the next chapter. I've made some decent headway with it, and it is plotted out, so hopefully it won't be too long before I update again, but no promises. Until next time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Blast of Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara and Zuko reach an agreement; Aang makes things worse for himself; Azula bites off more than she can chew.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Once again, there is violence in this chapter. Because despite the fact that fight scenes are not my strong point, I seem to be a glutton for punishment. Oh well. At least this one was already most choreographed for me...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The innkeeper must remind him of Uncle. That was the only explanation Zuko could think of for why he had allowed himself to be rather forcefully escorted from the barracks to the tavern when he didn’t know the man, and had no reason to trust anyone in the village. It must have been the mention of tea, and the rather insistent way the innkeeper had of shuffling him along, like Iroh. He introduced him as Oli, and although he didn’t beam the way that Iroh did, he greeted Zuko warmly, and thanked him for helping “Raina” during her last job. Zuko hadn’t gotten around to asking Katara why she had adopted that name during her time in Ganhan, but he didn’t correct him. Oli had then suggested he come back with him to the tavern and perhaps share a pot of tea before the night’s revelries began, revelries that he hoped Zuko would be a part of. On arrival, Oli showed him to his room for the night, stating that it was free of charge because any friend of Raina’s was a friend of his.</p><p>All in all, Zuko found the sudden friendliness rather befuddling, and almost unnerving, and could do nothing more than go along uncertainly and fight hard to keep the scowl off his face. Once they had finished their tea, however, he did decline to venture downstairs, choosing to isolate himself in his room. It was better that way. Oli had seemed disappointed, but accepted Zuko’s decision.</p><p>Oli left a teapot for him, believing Zuko to be more enthusiastic about tea than he really was. But it was another unprompted touch of kindness, he realised. There was no means to heat the water in here, but as a firebender that was hardly a problem for Zuko, which Oli must have known. He had always used to complain about his uncle’s unhealthy obsession with tea, but the thought of having a cup now before bed filled him with a not unpleasant sense of nostalgia, and was strangely alluring.</p><p>Just as he finished preparing the jasmine tea, the only blend he had taken in from his uncle’s endless ramblings, he heard a knock at his door. He called out uneasily for them to enter.</p><p>“I forgot to give you this,” Katara said by way of a greeting as she opened the door, and tossed the pouch containing his share of their earnings in his direction. He deftly caught it. The pouch jingled when he shook it, and felt pleasingly heavy. Although Zuko hadn’t deigned to ask what his earnings actually <em>were</em>, the weight of the pouch felt like it should last him a while.</p><p>“Thanks,” he muttered, before an uncertain silence fell over them. Zuko wasn’t sure what else he should do now. He had already thanked her. He assumed that with that done, Katara would return to her friends downstairs, and leave Zuko to his tea and thoughts. But despite the damnably familiar awkwardness that began to smother Zuko, Katara still lingered in the doorway, as if she was expecting something else, though it was lost on Zuko what that could be.</p><p>“I made tea,” he ventured, just for something to say. He held up the pot as if to prove his point, while inwardly cursing himself for how juvenile and ridiculous he must look right now. A pause. “Would you like a cup?”</p><p>It suddenly struck Zuko that this might be the last time he saw her. It only made sense that they would go their separate ways now. They longer had a reason to spend any time together, after all.</p><p>He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.</p><p>“Sure,” Katara replied, stepping into the room and closing the door behind her. She settled down onto the floor beside him. “You weren’t downstairs,” she commented.</p><p>“Yeah. I…it’s not really my scene.”</p><p>“Can’t hold your liquor. Got it.”</p><p>Zuko scowled at her. “I can hold my liquor just fine, for your information,” he huffed, even as he poured her tea.</p><p>Katara sniggered beside him, then sighed contentedly. “You’re so easy sometimes, Zuko.” She shook her head. Unlike Zuko, she had had a few ales by now, and it had as always served to amplify her already good mood.</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“You’re too easy to rile up,” she smirked.</p><p>“So you <em>are </em>doing it on purpose,” Zuko sighed. Katara merely nodded. “Why do you keep making fun of me?” Zuko asked her accusingly. “I helped you. <em>Twice</em>. I didn’t have to do that.”</p><p>She took a sip of her tea, watching him curiously. It appeared he had taken offence. Why? It had only been a joke.</p><p>“It’s called banter, Zuko. Lighten up,” she told him. When Zuko didn’t reply, she continued, “You spent the last few years with sailors. Didn’t you do this sort of thing all the time?”</p><p>“No,” came the sullen response.</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>Zuko sighed. “I was their prince. It wouldn’t have been appropriate.” Katara nodded thoughtfully, and let out a hum of contemplation. What could she glean from that, she wondered. It was pretty clear Zuko hadn’t had the same experiences as most people his age. That would certainly go some way to explaining his anomalous behaviour. “But from what I could tell, it just meant they spent all day calling each other names and then laughing about it.”</p><p>“That’s…pretty much it.”</p><p>“And that’s fun?” Zuko queried incredulously.</p><p>“I didn’t really understand it either,” Katara admitted. “Not until my brother pointed out to me that’s what we’d been doing all our lives. I just thought of it as play-fighting.” To Katara, their bickering and pointless arguments had just been a staple part of their relationship. She had never known anything different. But one day she had made the apparently grievous mistake of calling it play-fighting in Sokka’s earshot. Sokka had then told her in no uncertain terms that they weren’t <em>play-fighting</em>, they were <em>bantering</em>. Katara had asked him what the difference was. It transpired that, according to Sokka, bantering was more manly. After laughing raucously at him, Katara had then promptly proceeded to banter the glaciers out of him for the rest of that afternoon about his ‘manliness’.</p><p>She remembered that she had been rather grateful for those experiences, during the many long nights in the tavern with the soldiers. Whenever she had joined in on their banter, or made what she thought were simple observations that they had all found amusing, she hadn’t always been simply blending. Despite all of the changes she had undergone since the Spirit Oasis, her capacity for humour was one area that had been left largely untouched. If anything, it had improved. Now that she no longer worried about accidentally hurting someone’s feelings, she was much more relaxed about engaging in biting riposte which as it turned out, among soldiers at least, was seen as funny. Indeed, Katara had quickly learned that she could say pretty much anything as long as she played it off as a joke. For the sake of remaining undiscovered, it had taken her a few weeks to grow comfortable enough with herself to actually express her humour, but she no longer had such qualms.</p><p>She wondered if things would have been different if she had figured that out sooner.</p><p>“That doesn’t sound like fun either,” Zuko said, thinking with a shudder of how any ‘play-fights’ with Azula might have gone. Katara raised her eyebrows.</p><p>“And just what <em>does </em>the Fire Nation prince think is fun?”</p><p>“Nothing. I don’t have fun.” As much as she could believe that, or perhaps <em>because </em>she could easily believe it, Katara let out an amused snort.</p><p>“What, you’re saying this isn’t fun?” she teased. He looked up at her in surprise, and scowled when he saw her smirk. She shook her head at him. “That tea just seems to be making you grouchy. You want a real drink?” she offered, and dangled their half-finished bottle of liquor from the night before at him. He all but snatched it from her and took a swig. For someone who supposedly hated fun, Zuko had an extraordinary talent for amusing Katara, she thought. Which only made him scowl. Which only made her more amused.</p><p>“I like the liquor,” he volunteered after a moment.</p><p>“And scowling. Don’t forget scowling,” she reminded him helpfully. Zuko’s scowl only deepened. “Banter,” she repeated. “It’s funny.”</p><p>“If you say so,” Zuko sighed. They fell back into silence, each sipping their tea.</p><p>After a while, Zuko began, “I…” He faltered. What was he doing? His role in this was done. Why did he keep trying to talk to her? Why was she still here? “Why aren’t you downstairs with your friends?” he eventually settled on asking her. If they could be called that, he thought. For being her friends, they had turned their backs on her very fucking quickly the moment they thought she’d stepped out of line. But it wasn’t any of Zuko’s business. If she was willing to forgive and forget so easily, who was Zuko to interfere with that?</p><p>As if she had read his mind, Katara replied, “They’re not my friends. I only stayed down there for the ale.” Not knowing what to say to that, Zuko merely nodded. “Can I ask you something?” Zuko shrugged. “Why did you get so upset when Gow was calling me a whore?”</p><p>“Does it matter?”</p><p>“I’m just curious.”</p><p>“Why <em>weren’t </em>you upset?” he countered.</p><p>“I asked you first.”</p><p>“Real mature,” he huffed. She sniggered again. Zuko sighed. “Because I thought what he was saying was disgusting. It just…made me mad.” ‘The way he was constantly disrespecting you,’ he thought, but couldn’t bring himself to say the words. He hoped Katara wouldn’t expect him to elaborate. Zuko could barely put his thoughts on that into <em>thoughts</em>, let alone words that would be comprehensible to another human being. He wondered if he had spent too much time with his uncle before setting off alone. Iroh was difficult to understand too, at times. “Your turn.”</p><p>She hummed thoughtfully. “I guess, to me Gow is just a waste of space. Someone like that can’t have an effect on me.”</p><p>“Aren’t you the lucky one?” Zuko grumbled.</p><p>‘You wouldn’t say that if you knew the truth,’ Katara thought darkly. Although Katara was at peace with who she was now, she doubted if anyone else would be if they knew the full truth, let alone call her ‘lucky’.</p><p>“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” Katara said coolly. Zuko looked up from resting his chin on his hand, and gazed at her curiously. She didn’t look exactly upset, but...whatever he’d said had been the wrong thing. Zuko sighed. He had made things worse. Again. Of course he had.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “You’re right. I have no idea what you’ve been through.”</p><p>“Thank you,” she accepted, not meeting his gaze. “So, why did you stay up here tonight? Really?”</p><p>“I just…wanted some time to think,” he told her. His tea finished, he remembered the bottle of liquor he had placed next to him. He poured some out into his cup and offered the bottle back to Katara. She simply took a swig from it. For some reason, he snorted. Then he remembered what he had wanted to ask her. “Why did you tell everyone here your name is Raina?” This time, she did meet his gaze. She looked him up and down, and whatever she saw must have satisfied her.</p><p>“Do you like it when people just think of you as the banished prince?” He frowned at her. What did that have to do with anything? But that seemed to be the response she wanted, because she continued, “Yeah. That’s how I’d look if everyone just thought of me as the Avatar’s…fucking waterbender,” she sighed, a note of bitterness in her voice. “It just seemed easier to pretend to be someone else.” Zuko nodded in understanding. It was incredibly vexing, he knew, to be cast into one particular role, and to never be allowed to step outside of whatever pig-bullshit parameters people had arbitrarily decided befitted that role which they knew <em>nothing </em>about. Granted, there was no shame in being associated with the Avatar outside of the Fire Nation, but he thought he knew why it grated on her.</p><p>“It makes you sound like you’re his property,” he remarked idly. Katara nodded. She took another swig from the bottle. She was coming down from the high now, she knew. She could feel it, in that she couldn’t anymore. She was mellowing out again. Her nerves were growing colder with each passing moment, the final sparks on the verge of flickering out and leaving her empty once more. Katara couldn’t say she wasn’t used to it, but that didn’t mean she didn’t resent that part of her new reality sometimes. “You were…really impressive today,” he told her.</p><p>“So were you.”</p><p>Was he? He didn’t think he’d done much of anything. Once they had actually found Gow, he’d spent most of the fight just trying to stay on the fucking cliff! “I didn’t really do much,” he murmured.</p><p>“You did exactly what I needed you to.” She took another swig. “But I have to be honest, Zuko. The way you handled Gow on the way back…that was…something.”</p><p>“I’m surprised you don’t think I went too far.”</p><p>“No…nope, definitely not,” Katara said enigmatically, not being able to help smiling with sadistic satisfaction at the memory. She bit her lower lip, and looked Zuko up and down once more while his attention was turned to his cup.</p><p>It had had a really remarkable effect on her, watching Zuko lose his temper with Gow, forcing him onto his knees…forcing him to submit… She was abruptly reminded that on a night like this, after a successful hunt, she usually wouldn’t be going to bed alone. She also wasn’t very keen on the idea that she might have to. She had no desire whatsoever to rekindle whatever she had had with Paik, even if he wasn’t currently out of action. That was done.</p><p>How convenient, then, that there happened to be a rather handsome someone right beside her who had already made her experience those delectable, intoxicating sensations. Without even trying. She began to imagine what Zuko could make her experience if he <em>was </em>trying… She bit her lower lip again.</p><p>She wondered if this was perhaps why Zuko was so frustrated. When was the last time he had known the touch of a woman? She had been led to understand that the more time passed without sex, men could become rather aggravated. Katara wasn’t a stranger to sexual frustration herself, but it didn’t result in her being frustrated at <em>everything</em> like Zuko seemed to. Then again, was it possible that Zuko hadn’t <em>ever </em>been with a woman? Did he even like women in that way? Katara suspected she might find herself becoming rather frustrated and definitely disappointed if it turned out he didn’t.</p><p>She pictured leaning over and pressing her lips against his. She imagined how they might feel. How they might make <em>her</em> feel. How would he react? Would he throw her off? Fight her? Or would he kiss her back? Zuko was so unpredictable, she honestly wasn’t sure.</p><p>Katara also couldn’t decide which of the last two prospects was more tantalising.</p><p><em>Fuck</em>, he was tempting.</p><p>She took a deep breath to steady herself, followed by another swig of the liquor. Zuko proffered his cup to her, seemingly having finished his fill. Katara replenished it for him, noting that it was almost empty. Perhaps she could go and sweet-talk Oli into giving her another one. She stood up to do just that, pausing when she heard Zuko say, “You’re leaving?”</p><p>“I’m just going to get us another bottle,” she explained. “That is, if you want me to come back.” Zuko just shrugged. Katara rolled her eyes and left the room.</p><p>“Wait.” Katara did so just as she was about to close the door. “I…I wouldn’t mind if you did,” he mumbled almost inaudibly.</p><p>“You either want my company or you don’t, Zuko. Which is it?”</p><p>For some unfathomable reason, Zuko found he <em>did </em>want her company. But he didn’t want to have to say it. That made him seem weak, desperate and pathetic. It also made no sense to him. Hadn’t he left his uncle precisely he couldn’t stand being around other people anymore? Couldn’t stand the weight of their expectations?</p><p>But Katara didn’t seem to have any. She seemed perfectly content to just let him scowl in silence if that was what he wanted to do. Maybe that was why he found himself feeling almost discomfitingly comfortable in her presence. He knew that made no sense. But then again, when was the last time what he was feeling inside had made any sense?</p><p>“Your…company would be nice,” he finally offered. Katara nodded.</p><p>“I’ll be back in a moment, then.”</p><p>She returned with a fresh bottle in tow to discover that Zuko had brewed another pot of tea in her absense.</p><p>She raised her eyebrows at him. “What’s with all the tea tonight, firebender?”</p><p>“It’s what I used to do with my uncle,” he admitted. “Would you like another cup?” Katara supposed it couldn’t hurt, and nodded her assent. It would be better for her to keep her wits about her. If and when she decided to surrender to her less than pure desires, she didn’t want to be sloppy and uncoordinated. Especially if Zuko <em>did </em>turn out to be a virgin. She had bedded a man who had never lain with a woman before, once. She hadn’t been entirely sure what to expect from his inexperience, but it had transpired that Katara being his first had meant he was utterly spellbound by her. Her body, the way she moved…she could do no wrong in his eyes. He had practically worshipped her when he was spent, and had been a rather enthusiastic student in learning how to please a woman in other ways. Katara had ended up enjoying that very much. Zuko being a virgin was definitely something Katara could work with.</p><p>But questions first. Regardless of how Zuko responded to her trying to get closer to him, it was unlikely he would be in a mood to talk afterwards, based on previous experience.</p><p>“Do you miss him?” she asked as they sipped the tea. Zuko nodded without looking at her. It wasn’t lost on Katara that Zuko was being unusually open and talkative with her at the moment. She wondered why. Still, it was what she’d wanted. Him in the mood to answer questions. It didn’t irk her that she couldn’t figure him out, but her curiosity was growing insatiable. “Why did you stop travelling together?”</p><p>Zuko sighed. He had already told her once he wasn’t telling her that. Just last night, in fact! Was she just trying to rile him up again? But there was no telltale smirk on her face when he looked over at her.</p><p>“Why do you want to know?” he asked her quietly.</p><p>“I’m just trying to understand you better,” she replied honestly.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“You fascinate me,” she said simply.</p><p>Zuko was confused again. “Is this more banter?” Katara shook her head, a strangely solemn expression on her face.</p><p>“Not this time. I would really like to know.”</p><p> “I’ll tell you if you tell me why you left the Avatar,” he replied. If she was so intent on pressing his sore spots, maybe he would give her a taste of it. She had been very elusive about her reasons for leaving the Avatar. It didn’t matter to him but, like Katara, he had to admit that he was curious. He doubted Katara would tell him, but that was okay. It just meant Zuko was off the hook from telling her about Uncle. That suited him just fine.</p><p> But Katara’s expression remained strangely impassive. “That’s my price,” he half-joked lamely.</p><p>“That seems fair,” Katara nodded. “I’ll bite.” She uncapped the new bottle, and took a long swig from it, bracing herself. Zuko was pleasantly surprised that she was willing to play along. He wondered what she was going to say. He wondered if it haunted her. If she missed them, like he missed Uncle.</p><p>In the time it took Katara to swallow the burning liquid, she made the decision that she may as well be honest…just, perhaps not <em>too </em>honest. She didn’t care what Zuko thought, but she definitely didn’t trust him with that secret. She didn’t imagine she would ever trust anyone with it, but then again she was most likely incapable of growing that close to anyone anymore, outside of sex, so what difference did that make? As long as she was able to satisfy those desires when she pleased, she imagined she would be content.</p><p>She took a deep breath and began, “It’s…kinda complicated, but the short version is that I was miserable, travelling with them. At least over the last few weeks before I left. And according to the Avatar, I was making everybody else miserable too.” She took another swig. “So he asked me to leave.” Zuko’s eyes narrowed, and he looked ready to interject, but Katara cut him off before he could. “I really don’t care that he didn’t want me around anymore. I was planning on doing it anyway. Like I said, I was miserable.”</p><p>“Why?” he asked her softly.</p><p>“You can’t change the rules now, firebender,” she chided him lightly. “Your turn.”</p><p>“Fair enough,” he accepted. He didn’t know if it was pride, shame or even simply fear that held her tongue, but it didn’t matter. He understood. He understood what she was saying – whatever it was, it was something she wasn’t willing to share. “If it helps,” he said. “I know how you feel. If I’m being honest, it’s why I left my uncle. I was miserable, and I could see what it was doing to him. I knew I’d be better off alone, and try to…”</p><p>“Find your own path,” Katara finished for him.</p><p>“Yeah,” Zuko nodded.</p><p>“Are you happy now?”</p><p>“I’m never happy.” He paused, noticing her watching him. “Are you?”</p><p>“I’m not sure,” she confessed. “But I guess that means I’m probably not.” Zuko nodded. He understood that, too. He suddenly felt desperate for a drink, and gestured to the bottle, which Katara readily handed over. This time, Zuko just drank from the bottle. He didn’t know why he suddenly felt so unsettled. He and Katara had a <em>lot</em> in common, as it turned out. None of it good, but more than he would have ever thought possible. But then, Zuko was also twisted inside in ways Katara couldn’t possibly imagine. He was confident he was still utterly alone in that regard. So neither of them were happy – big deal. Plenty of people weren’t. It didn’t mean anything. This wasn’t the forging of some lifelong friendship for life where they swore to be each other’s support forever. Life didn’t work like that, especially not for Zuko. It was better to just drop it now. He didn’t think he could stand having <em>that </em>hope, the hope that someone might understand and not loathe or lament his detestable weakness, dashed. So he decided to change the subject.</p><p>“What will you do now?” he asked her. “Are you staying here?”</p><p>“Fuck, no,” she scoffed. “I’m so bored of this place. I think I’m gonna head south. Keep doing what I’m doing, you know?”</p><p>“Why south?”</p><p>“There’s a few big towns down there.” Wealthy towns, at that. “I’m assuming that means there will be more work. More interesting cases, too.”</p><p>“It seems likely,” Zuko agreed.</p><p>“What about you?”</p><p>“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I don’t exactly have a plan.” He had just been wandering aimlessly before coming here. He had assumed he would keep doing so, though the thought wasn’t appealing. He knew about the supposed wealth of the southern Earth Kingdom. The mountains had left them largely isolated from the war, so he had heard during his time on the ship, and thus far the Fire Nation hadn’t seen fit to brave what would undoubtedly be a difficult and expensive crossing of said mountains. That made sense to Zuko. The aim of the war was to spread the glory of the Fire Nation, after all. Why attempt to convert the towns that were already flourishing first? If they got saved until last, by which time they could surely see the benefits the Fire Nation brought to the rest of their country, perhaps there could even be a peaceful handover.</p><p>As he mulled it over, it occurred to him that perhaps Katara wasn’t the only one who could find more plentiful opportunities in the south…it had been a while since the Blue Spirit had made an appearance. The wealthy south could prove to be a very interesting arena to play in indeed.</p><p>“The south doesn’t sound too terrible. Maybe I’ll just follow you,” Zuko said half-jokingly. In case Katara was repulsed by the idea. Which she probably would be. Agni, why had he even said that? He cursed himself again.</p><p>“You could…” Katara mused thoughtfully. “…or you could just ride alongside me like a normal person.”</p><p>“What would <em>you</em> know about normal?” he retorted. Katara’s head snapped up and fixed him with a stare. Zuko’s stomach felt like it was plummeting as her piercing blue eyes bore into him. “Banter,” he explained weakly. To his relief, Katara snorted and barked out a mirthless laugh.</p><p>“Not great, but you’re learning. I’ll let you have that one.” She shook her head and let out a soft chuckle. “But, I have to ask – are you quite sure the Prince of the Fire Nation could handle being around a Water Tribe peasant for that long?”</p><p>“I’m sure I’ll manage,” Zuko replied gruffly. “You’re not actually so bad.” He shook himself. “For a goody-goody waterbender, I mean.”</p><p>“You’re not so bad for an arrogant firebender,” she smirked, which only grew as he scowled. “Although I resent the goody-goody. You obviously haven’t been paying much attention.”</p><p>“If you’re serious about letting me travel with you, I’ll have plenty of time to,” Zuko shrugged. “Just, uh, promise you won’t try to kill me in my sleep to prove it?”</p><p>Katara tutted, but was still smirking. “You’re no fun sometimes, firebender.”</p><p>Zuko didn’t know if it was the liquor, or merely the fact that someone who wasn’t his crazy uncle could actually stand the idea of his company for an extended period of time, but he slowly found himself smirking back.</p><p>****</p><p>In the end, Katara had been right about Chin Village. Though it had indeed been left largely unaffected by the war, that was due to its size and utter lack of strategic value, not because it was somehow a safe haven for earthbenders thanks to Kyoshi Island just across the water. Far from finding Aang a teacher, what Sokka and Aang found instead was a village that seemed to harbour more loathing for the Avatar than even Prince Pouty. Sokka had wanted to leave as soon as the effigies of Avatars Kyoshi, Roku and even Aang were set alight, and had had to rather forcefully restrain Aang from intervening.</p><p>“But they <em>hate </em>me, Sokka!” Aang had protested. “I have to find out why. I have to know what Avatar Kyoshi did that was so awful!”</p><p>“No, you don’t,” Sokka had told him in no uncertain terms. “What you <em>have </em>to do is find an earthbending teacher, and that’s not here. Katara was right…we shouldn’t have come…” At the mention of his sister, whom Aang had driven away, the younger boy stopped resisting. He at least had the grace to look contrite and throw sorrowful looks towards Sokka as they flew off. Although he knew it wouldn’t go any way to making the sudden departure of his sister up to Sokka, Aang had then suggested that perhaps they could pay another quick visit to Kyoshi Island so Sokka could try and see Suki again? They were already so close. Sokka had heartily agreed but it turned out that Suki and her band of Warriors had themselves departed for the mainland to do their bit for the Earth Kingdom in the war. As disappointing as that was, Sokka had nonetheless felt proud when the curator of the small Avatar Kyoshi museum told him that he, Sokka, had been the one to inspire her.</p><p>Aang, for his part, had found the visit satisfying. After the hostility he had faced in Chin Village, the sight of one particularly ardent Avatar devotee practically foaming at the mouth with excitement at the sight of Aang had been a not-at-all unpleasant distraction. During their stay, while he had been meditating, Avatar Kyoshi had appeared before him and explained her history with Chin Village. Aang hadn’t known that Kyoshi Island had once been part of the mainland, split off by his past life to protect her people from Chin the Conqueror and future tyrants, and “unintentionally” killing Chin in the process. But somewhere, somehow, the truth had become murky with the passage of time for the people in Chin Village. Aang hadn’t been able to convince them to his side this time, hadn’t even been given the chance, but at least he had his answer. Perhaps when the war was over he could go back and clear things up.</p><p>They had begun the journey to Gaoling shortly afterwards. Although he knew it was a vain hope, Sokka had taken to asking Aang to fly lower than he normally would, so he could keep his eyes peeled for Katara…just in case. In no position to refuse, Aang had acquiesced without complaint. It meant that the journey to Gaoling had taken longer than it needed to, but that really didn’t seem important anymore. Aang was wracked with guilt for his role in her disappearing on them. He had just been upset. Said things he hadn’t meant in anger. He had never expected her to actually <em>leave</em>.</p><p>Aang always felt a dull ache in his chest when he remembered that day, the morning after his fight with Katara. Sokka had been almost inconsolable when they had discovered her gone. Especially when he realised that Katara had somehow snuck their mother’s necklace into his back pocket. Aang thought that was the closest he had ever seen anyone come to just…breaking down. It had been heartbreaking to watch, and even more heartbreaking to listen to Sokka’s grief-stricken sobs. Aang had made the decision to make himself scarce for a time, give Sokka some space, before tentatively suggesting they could go and search for her. That labour had been fruitless, but it did seem to quell Sokka somewhat.</p><p>Aang made a promise to himself that if they did find Katara, he would get on his knees and apologise profusely, and beg her to come back if that’s what it took. He missed her too. He wanted her back. She must have felt so betrayed, so hurt…it was no wonder she’d left. What had she even done that was so bad really? So she’d been short with him a few times. All right, a lot of times. But that didn’t give Aang the right to just give up on her. He only wished he hadn’t been too stubborn to see it then, when it had still mattered, when he could have done something to salvage the situation. It wasn’t the first time Aang wished he could go back and undo the past, but he hoped it would be the last.</p><p>They had ended up spending a good couple of weeks in Gaoling. Aang’s first attempt at finding an earthbending teacher had been to enrol in a local earthbending academy. It had been a less than ideal learning environment, and much too expensive besides. When they had found the poster for the Earth Rumble contest, they had spent far more time than they would have liked just trying to track down the location. Anyone they asked in Gaoling either didn’t know or were unwilling to point them in the right direction. Sokka had supposed that meant it was probably illegal, but both had agreed that also (hopefully) meant only the best and most formidable earthbenders in Gaoling would be participating. They had been right, for there they met Toph, and after some cajoling and her father conveniently “changing his mind”, she had joined them.</p><p>Aang hoped that perhaps Sokka might take comfort in the fact that Katara’s instincts about Gaoling had been correct. They had not only found Aang an earthbending teacher, but the <em>perfect </em>earthbending teacher. But it only seemed to make Sokka feel worse. Aang had heard him muttering to himself in the saddle as they flew away. “We should have listened to her. Why didn’t I <em>listen</em>?!” and staring vacantly at the necklace in his open palm with a crestfallen expression on his face.</p><p>Sokka always seemed to perk up when the time came to stop and make camp though, and he would crack awful jokes and laugh goofily as he always had in the company of his friends. Although Aang didn’t seem to realise it, Toph could tell Sokka was just putting on an act, a brave face, and saving his grief for when he thought no-one was watching. Toph wasn’t sure of the specifics. She just knew from eavesdropping on their conversations that Snoozles had a waterbender sister who had been travelling with them before, but she had left after an argument with Twinkletoes. Toph couldn’t imagine just <em>what</em> Twinkletoes had said to drive her away, but she didn’t pry. It was none of her business. But whether Toph wanted to or not, she was soon going to get an idea.</p><p>****</p><p>In the few days since Katara and Zuko had left Ganhan together, they had settled into a comfortable routine. To Zuko’s relief, the silences between them as they rode no longer felt awkward for him. With neither one of them being fond of pointless platitudes and small talk, they had actually become rather companionable. When they made camp for the night, they would each go off and practice their bending before sharing dinner. They took turns cooking, which was a refreshing change from when Katara had travelled with the Avatar and her brother. When she told Zuko this, he scowled, sealing Katara’s suspicion that it really was just his favourite pastime rather than an expression of sincere displeasure. It didn’t occur to her that he had been scowling on her behalf, that her old companions had seemed unwilling to take any responsibility for something that affected <em>all </em>of them. He never said as much because it wasn’t his problem, and he recognised that at least it wasn’t Katara’s either, not anymore. Not after she had been essentially kicked out for not jumping up and down with joy all the time. For all his determination to capture the Avatar, and his ire at the child’s ability to consistently evade said capture, he hadn’t actually <em>disliked </em>him before Katara had told him that. It appeared that even when Zuko wasn’t the one being rejected, he still managed to muster up the resentment as if he had.</p><p>The terrain through the mountains was difficult at times, and on more than one occasion they had had to divert when it became too steep for the ostrich-horses to climb. One such diversion, however, had turned out to be to their good fortune as they encountered a narrow mountain pass, just barely wide enough for the ostrich-horses to trot through in single file, so small and apparently insignificant that it hadn’t even been marked on the map.</p><p>On the other side of the pass, they emerged on a plateau, making the going much easier, and only a short trek later, they then found themselves in a lush, green meadow, dotted with wildflowers and simply teeming with hares and rabbiroos. Salivating at just the prospect of real meat, Katara insisted that they stop for a break to give her a chance to hunt. The dried and salted jerky they had purchased in Ganhan before leaving was nutritious enough, but it wasn’t a patch on freshly-caught game. Zuko couldn’t help but agree. He half-heartedly offered to help her, but when he admitted that he knew next to nothing about hunting, Katara decided to take care of it herself. With nothing else that needed doing, Zuko took the opportunity to meditate while she was occupied.</p><p>“Zuko!” he heard her call a short while later. He opened his eyes, scanning the horizon for her. Once he spotted her, he made his way over, wondering what she needed him for. “Do you have any idea what could have made these?” she queried as he came to a stop beside her. She was looking at a long line of perfectly parallel ruts in the grass that stretched in both directions as far as the eye could see. They were treadmarks, she knew, but they were too large and deeply imprinted into the ground for a wagon to have been able to create them. But Zuko recognised them instantly. In the far distance, he could see the telltale smoke, confirming his theory.</p><p>“They’re from a tank,” he told her, furrowing his brow.</p><p>“A what?”</p><p>“It’s from the Fire Nation,” he replied dismissively. The tanks had once been the fastest available means of overland travel. The problem was that they ran very efficiently until they suddenly didn’t anymore, making them hideously expensive to maintain. Because of this, as far as Zuko knew, all but a few had been decommissioned when the advantages they offered in terms of speed no longer outweighed the cost of running them. His knowledge could be outdated, he supposed, but no, he was certain he had once heard Zhao complain about their no longer being in use in between jibes at Zuko’s honour (although it was lost on Zuko why, as an Admiral, Zhao lamented their demise).</p><p>With all that, the only people who could even dream of being authorised the use of a tank now were generals…and members of the Royal family.</p><p>‘Azula,’ he realised, his eyes narrowing. Had she come through here looking for him? Or was she up to something else?</p><p>“I think it’s my sister,” he growled.</p><p>“Huh…I haven’t seen her since Omashu,” Katara replied. Zuko turned to look at her and raised his eyebrow.</p><p>“You’ve met her…and survived?”</p><p>“Barely. She had two other girls with her. One of them was a very dull and gloomy knife-thrower, and the other one did something that took my bending away.”</p><p>“Mai and Ty Lee.” He would stake the remaining gold in his pouch on it. Since when had Azula teamed back up with them? The last time Zuko had seen her, she had been alone. Well, as alone as she could be whilst still being escorted by her very own platoon under her command.</p><p>“You seem to know a lot about them. Do I sense a touching reunion?” Katara remarked drily.</p><p>“No. You definitely do not,” Zuko grimaced. “I have some unfinished business with her…” Namely that she had tricked him and tried to take him prisoner. Zuko had once thought he would have given anything to be able to return to the Fire Nation, but he drew the line at doing so in fucking chains. He had been too busy fleeing to swear revenge at the time, but now that she was so close... He longed more than anything to follow her, and treat <em>her </em>to an ambush. It wouldn’t change anything, of course, but it would be immensely satisfying to knock her down a peg.</p><p>Katara nodded thoughtfully beside him. “That could be fun…” she muttered to herself. She threw him a sideways glance. “Wanna go kick her ass?” she asked casually.</p><p>“You have no idea...” he breathed, full of determination.</p><p>“Let’s go, then.” She clapped him on the shoulder and headed back towards the ostrich-horses. Zuko followed her, surprised.</p><p>“You’re coming with me?”</p><p>“Like I’d miss the chance to watch you take on your sister,” she said. ‘Or a chance to face her myself.’ His sister, if she recalled correctly, shot blue flames rather than the customary orange. It was common knowledge even amongst the Water Tribes that blue flames burned the hottest. That instantly made her more dangerous…and oh so much more of an exciting prospect. An enigmatic smile graced her features. Or was it a smirk? Zuko frowned.</p><p>“Are you making fun of me again? Oh, sorry, ‘bantering?’”</p><p>Katara paused and considered this for a moment. “I haven’t decided yet,” she replied. “I guess it depends on how the fight goes.”</p><p>“You know, that really doesn’t clear things up,” he muttered sulkily.</p><p>“It wasn’t meant to.”</p><p>“…you’re a pain in the ass.”</p><p>****</p><p>“I still think we could have taken them,” Toph grumbled for the fourth time as they flew into the oncoming dawn. “Two on three isn’t terrible odds when I’m one of the two.”</p><p>“Give it a rest, Toph,” Sokka groaned, exhausted. “And like I keep telling you, there are <em>three </em>of us!” They had spent the night thus far largely being the unwitting, unwilling targets in a gruelling chase by an unknown enemy in some kind of mechanical device that both did and didn’t sound like an avalanche as it approached, according to Toph. It didn’t seem to matter how long or how far they flew, whoever it was kept finding them and catching up to them, no matter where they ended up.</p><p>They had been forced to de-camp and flee three times now. Despite collectively deciding not to bother with the rigmarole of setting up camp the third time, it had still seemed to Sokka like he had barely climbed back into his bedroll when Toph felt the earth vibrate again, and alerted them with the exasperation evident in her voice. For their parts, Sokka and Aang had groaned at the sight of the smoke that meant their enemy was close. This time, too close. The machine, whatever it was, had scaled the mountain with ease and was careering right towards them.</p><p>Tired of running, Aang had suggested standing their ground and facing them. “Who knows? Maybe they’re friendly,” he had said with hopeful optimism and naivety that was bordering on reckless. He quickly dismissed that notion, however, when it had turned out to be a trio of unwelcome, familiar faces that they had encountered in Omashu.</p><p>Toph had been ready to give those women the fight of their lives, but Aang and Sokka quickly lost their nerve when the girls’ mongoose-lizard mounts made easy work of Toph’s rocky barriers, relentless in their pursuit, and they climbed once more atop Appa and fled.</p><p>It was past dawn when Appa finally succumbed to his fatigue. After plummeting for a few terrifying moments, the sky-bison roused himself, flailing and desperately trying to save himself and his passengers. The four of them ended up all but crash-landing in a forest clearing beside a river. Toph instantly leapt off the sky-bison onto the comforting, comforting ground as Appa began to snore.</p><p>“Appa’s <em>exhausted</em>,” Aang said sympathetically, stroking the sky-bison with affection.</p><p>“Okay,” Sokka said wearily, throwing his bedroll out of the saddle, only narrowly avoiding Toph. “We’ve put in a lot of distance between us and them. The plan right now is to follow Appa’s lead and get some sleep.” Toph nodded wordlessly in agreement as she hugged the grass.</p><p>“I just don’t get how they kept following us,” Aang pondered aloud, clearly unsettled.</p><p>“We’ll figure it out later,” Sokka yawned. “Sleepy time now.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Shhhh…”</p><p>Aang frowned. He was tired, too. They all were. They had <em>all </em>been up all night. But this wasn’t something he could just forget about, even for a few hours, as much as his body and eyes were screaming for rest. And that was <em>if </em>those girls hadn’t caught up to them again by then.</p><p>“Sokka, I’m sorry, I know you want to sleep, but we have to consider the possibility they might find us again,” Aang insisted. Sokka sighed loudly and sat up in his bedroll. Toph listened to them begin to bicker, not really taking any of it in. Snoozles eventually gave up on trying to sleep, though he stubbornly refused to leave his bedroll, even going so far as to stand up in it and hop around as he and Twinkletoes debated how their pursuers had managed to stay on their trail.</p><p>Toph yawned and stretched out, determined to drown them out and heed the siren call of sleep. But her hand suddenly brushed something soft. Too soft to just be grass. It felt familiar…she had felt the same thing last evening, but Sokka had told her it wasn’t grass. What was it he’d said it was…?</p><p>With tensions already running high, Aang and Sokka’s discussion began to grow heated until Toph finally had enough. “Guys, knock it off!” she shouted over them. “It’s Sheddy over here that’s the problem!” She pointed to the sky-bison. Aang and Sokka both fell silent.</p><p>“What? You’re blaming Appa?” Aang asked incredulously.</p><p>“And people think <em>I’m </em>the blind one,” Toph sighed irritably. She picked up the clump of fur and raised it above her head to prove her point. “You want to know how they keep finding us?” She uncurled her hand, and felt the mass of fur grow lighter as the hairs scattered in the breeze. “He’s leaving a trail everywhere we go!”</p><p>His exhaustion mounting and his temper already frayed, Aang immediately leapt to Appa’s defence. “How <em>dare </em>you blame Appa?” he burst out angrily. Beside him, unremarked by either Toph or Aang, Sokka flinched. His stomach began to twist with a familiar sense of dread, which only got worse because Aang wasn’t finished. “He saved your life three times today! If there’s anyone who’s a problem, it’s you!”</p><p>“Aang, that’s enough-” Sokka said desperately, but Toph stood up defiantly.</p><p>“<em>What?!</em>” she screeched indignantly. “You’re blaming <em>me</em>?”</p><p>“I’m just saying, we never had any issues before you joined us!”</p><p>“Oh <em>really</em>?” Toph said venomously. “That’s funny. Because I thought there was supposed to be a waterbender with you. What happened to her, Aang?” Both Aang and Sokka’s jaws dropped in shock. “Was <em>she </em>an issue, too? Do you just have an issue with girls? Because spirits, if this is how you talked to Snoozles’ sister, I’m not surprised she left!”</p><p>“How can you-? It has <em>nothing </em>to do with-” Aang spluttered, but Toph cut him off. She was tired and hungry, and in absolutely no mood to deal with this right now. Or ever, in fact. Why should she have to deal with being blamed and accused for something that she had <em>nothing </em>to do with? Short answer, she didn’t, Avatar or not.</p><p>“Save it. I don’t need this crap. I’m out of here.” She furiously stomped the ground, causing her pack to fly into the air, and caught it. She slung it around her shoulder. “It was nice knowing you, Sokka,” she said pointedly, while glaring in Aang’s direction.</p><p>‘No,’ Sokka thought. ‘No! Not again!’ As Toph began to storm off, he scrambled out of his bedroll and ran in front of her. He spread his arms wide in a feeble attempt to block her path. But it was about as effective as his pleas to Katara had been. Toph nudged him out of the way with another stomp on the ground and pushed past him. Sokka watched her, his heart racing and his stomach writhing in a swirling, painful vortex. He took a deep breath, and then another, trying to calm himself down. He rubbed a hand up and down his face. How had this happened again?</p><p>“Sokka?” Aang said uncertainly, placing a hand on his shoulder. To Sokka’s utter bewilderment, he didn’t sound upset. He didn’t sound frantic, like he should do, having just lost his <em>earthbending teacher</em>. No, Aang sounded calm…he was…fucking…<em>calm</em>!</p><p>Aang…it was always Aang. The dread in Sokka suddenly gave way to fury. Fuelled by his own sleep-deprived state, he shoved Aang’s hand off his shoulder and rounded on him.</p><p>“What is <em>wrong </em>with you, Aang?!” he yelled, spitting with rage. Aang stepped back, startled. “Do you even <em>want </em>to learn the elements?! Do you <em>want </em>to end this war?! Because that is the <em>second </em>teacher that <em>you </em>have driven away in a month!”</p><p>“I-I’m sorry-”</p><p>“No!” Sokka cut him off. “No! Don’t apologise to me. What you should have done was apologise to Katara. <em>And </em>to Toph. Better yet, what you <em>should </em>have done was kept your fucking mouth shut!” Aang flinched at the curse word, but bowed his head in humility, allowing Sokka to finish. “In case you haven’t noticed, they’re not exactly lining up to teach you! Toph was the best earthbending teacher you could have asked for!”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>“And Katara, my <em>sister</em>...” Sokka trailed off, the fury in his voice gone. Without bidding, tears began to well up in his eyes, as they always did whenever he thought of her. He sniffed and forcefully brushed away a tear that threatened to fall. He fixed Aang with a hard stare. “Don’t make me regret choosing to stay with you, Aang. Because Katara asked me to go with her. I could be with my sister right now…but I said no, because as much as it might suck, the fate of the world depends on <em>you</em>. And I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me for that…I don’t even know if I’ll ever see her again…” Sokka certainly didn’t forgive himself. He didn’t think he ever would. Katara had clearly been going through something, struggling with some awful demon. He thought with an aching heart that her invitation might have been her way of asking for help…and he’d rebuffed her. His own sister, for a child that they had only known for a few months. All for some spirits-forsaken sense of duty he had managed to make himself believe he owed to the war effort.</p><p>He was the worst brother in the world. He didn’t deserve Katara. And Katara certainly deserved better than him.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Sokka,” Aang said, his voice quivering. “I – I didn’t know.”</p><p>“That’s because I didn’t want you to. I didn’t want you to feel bad.” Sokka laughed bitterly at that. “But I’m done coddling you.” Katara had been right about that, too. “Make this right.”</p><p>“I will,” Aang nodded hurriedly. “I promise. We’ll get her back.” They both knew that Aang meant Toph, but Sokka’s heart still wrenched as he thought of Katara. “But first, I should probably go bathe Appa. So they can’t keep following us.” Sokka nodded in agreement. Ordinarily he would help, but he instead climbed back into his bedroll, determined to catch a quick nap while Aang took care of Appa. And, if he was being honest, get away from Aang for a while. He had no intention of turning around and leaving himself, but the way Aang was going about things…</p><p>Sokka was able to snatch an hour or so of sleep when Aang returned with a freshly-washed Appa in tow. Although it wasn’t long, it had been a deep sleep, and Sokka felt much mellower and calmer by the time Aang woke him. To Sokka’s surprise, Aang had also come up with a plan – and a good one, at that. Sokka would take Appa to look for Toph, while Aang would scatter a sack of Appa’s sheddings he had collected and hopefully draw the girls away and confront them. Sokka would then join him once he found Toph, following the same decoy trail that they hoped would trick the girls.</p><p>Their plan decided, they set off without further ado.</p><p>****</p><p>It had been a long ride. The ostrich-horses had been pushed to their limit, faithfully keeping up their reputation for endurance, before Zuko and Katara finally caught up with the now stationary tank. It looked as though they had stumbled upon an abandoned camp, as the clearing was littered with packs, cooking utensils and a single bedroll. And, bizarrely, large wads of white fur. Katara narrowed her eyes, and dismounted her ostrich-horse to investigate. Zuko, meanwhile, inspected the tank and found to his annoyance, but not to his surprise, that it was empty. Wherever Azula had gone from here, she had gone on foot, presumably with Mai and Ty Lee. But why had they just left the tank in the open for all and sundry to find? It wasn’t at much risk of being stolen out in the middle of nowhere as they were, but it still didn’t seem a smart move to Zuko. Perhaps Azula was slipping, he thought, though he doubted it.</p><p>He turned to Katara, and was confused to find her crouched down and examining the tufts of fur. She sniffed it cautiously, then sighed. “Appa.”</p><p>“What’s an Appa?”</p><p>“The Avatar’s sky-bison. They’ve been through here,” she told him as she stood. “I guess now we know why your sister came out this way.” Zuko nodded but kept quiet.</p><p>He barely dared believe it. The Avatar was here? Or had been here, in any event. Which meant this must be their camp, <em>their</em> stuff scattered carelessly around the clearing. He doubted that they would have just abandoned their possessions. Which meant they had to still be close by, or at the very least they planned to come back! “Maybe I have a chance…” he murmured to himself.</p><p>“A chance for what, Zuko?” Katara asked in a low voice. She regarded him with suspicion.</p><p>“What?” he retorted defensively, crossing his arms over his chest.</p><p>As if she had read his mind, Katara said, “You’re not hunting for the Avatar anymore, remember?” She cocked her head to the side, still surveying him closely. She frowned as it just occurred to her. “Or were you lying to me?”</p><p>Zuko shook his head. “I wasn’t lying,” he told her defiantly. He <em>had </em>given up on his quest. But fuck, they were so close. <em>He </em>was so close…if he could just…maybe there was still a chance! Maybe he could- “Look, try to understand. I could go <em>home</em>. Do you have any idea what a big deal that is for me?"</p><p>“I thought you were seen as a traitor in your nation,” she reminded him coolly, narrowing her eyes. “Why do you think this would make a difference to them?”</p><p>“Why do you care?” he retorted. “You stopped travelling with him! He kicked you out!”</p><p>“Just because I no longer care about the Avatar doesn’t mean I’m going to help you capture him,” Katara replied tersely. She stepped up to him. “This wasn’t what we agreed. I’m fine with taking a detour for you to confront your sister. And if that’s all this is, I’ll still back you up. But if you’re just gonna go back to your old ways, you’re on your own.” She leaned in closer still and whispered, “And I would strongly suggest you tell me the truth now. Because if we get there, and I find out you were lying, I <em>will </em>fight you.”</p><p>Her tone left no room for doubt, and she stepped away. “So you’re turning on me, too, are you?” Zuko spat. He should have known. It was only a matter of time. Everyone turned on him in some form eventually…except Uncle. He clenched his hands into fists. This didn’t escape Katara’s notice. It also hadn’t escaped her notice that this was what Zuko tended to do just before attacking, though they weren’t aflame…yet.</p><p>“Not if you don’t give me a reason to.” Her own hand hovered above her waterskin.</p><p>Neither of them moved, both frozen in their stances. Time itself seemed to stand still as each waited for the other to strike first, with not even a gentle breeze to remind them that the world continued to turn outside of their duel which had yet to begin. What neither of them was aware of was that the other had no intention of striking first. Zuko was just frustrated – he didn’t <em>want </em>to attack Katara. He had come to see her as his ally, the only ally he currently had in the world.</p><p>After a tense few moments, Zuko finally uttered, “I don’t want to fight you.”</p><p>“I don’t want to fight you either,” Katara replied honestly. And she didn’t, not like this. Not anymore. Her perception of Zuko had shifted since the night in the inn. She would enjoy sparring with him if they got the chance, but she no longer wanted to fight to maim or injure. She didn’t know what exactly Zuko was to her now, but she had moved on from begrudgingly accepting that he was no longer her enemy to simply not wanting him to be, though this realisation came as somewhat of a surprise. At Katara’s admission, Zuko unclenched his fists, as Katara relaxed from her stance. “But you do have a choice to make,” she informed him.</p><p>Zuko was torn. On the one hand, the Avatar was <em>so </em>close…closer than he had been since the North Pole. If Zuko could just <em>succeed </em>and actually capture him, maybe he could be forgiven. Maybe he could be absolved and have the bounty on his head wiped. He could go home…</p><p>But in the back of his mind, he knew that wouldn’t happen. Even if he did by some miracle actually manage to wrangle the child into his custody this time, he knew that that wouldn’t be enough. His father had given up on him. His country had forgotten about him. And he didn’t think there was anything he could do now to change that. As much as he might want to hope, dare to dream…nothing would come of it.</p><p>Except losing his ally. An ally who he realised seemed to understand him far better than anyone else ever had. An ally who at least partially knew what he was going through, because she had gone through something similar herself. Was that a price he was willing to pay for the sake of a far-fetched fantasy which realistically had about as much chance of happening as Azula suddenly and spontaneously morphing into a cuddly purple platypus-bear?</p><p>“What’s it going to be, Zuko?” Katara pressed.</p><p>Zuko sighed and nodded to himself, resolved. He turned to Katara and told her his decision.</p><p>He never could know for certain if it was the right one. He could only hope that it was.</p><p>****</p><p>According to Sokka’s map, the town was called Tu Zin. It was clearly abandoned, and had been for many, many years. All of the buildings were crumbling and dilapidated, a couple of them looking like some light airbending would be enough to knock them from their foundations. Aang had just emptied his sack of sheddings. Given that the town was abandoned, and there were no innocent bystanders who could get caught in the crossfire, this seemed as good a place as any. He wasn’t sure what to expect from this fight. Only one of the girls appeared to be a bender, but the way Sokka had told it, that fact made the others no less formidable. All he knew about the firebender was that she was much calmer than Zuko, yet deadlier, and she shot blue flames. She was just as determined as Zuko though, it seemed. Although he didn’t understand what she had against him, how she came into all this. Perhaps he might get some answers. He sat down in the lotus position and waited.</p><p>By the time he heard approaching footsteps, Aang had almost drifted off. He snapped into awareness and took in his opponent. Yes, it was definitely her. She didn’t seem to have her accomplices with her, though. With a jolt, Aang realised this must mean they hadn’t fallen for the ruse as completely as he would have liked. He hoped Sokka and Toph were okay.</p><p>But as he caught the dangerous glint in her eye, he also began hoping <em>he </em>would be okay.</p><p>“All right, you’ve caught up with me,” he said, his voice not betraying the fear that was beginning to wrap itself around him. “Now, who are you and what do you want?”</p><p>The girl scoffed. “You mean you haven’t guessed?” she taunted coolly. “You don’t see the family resemblance? Here’s a hint.” Aang watched with mounting dread as she covered her left eye with her right hand, and began to speak in a falsely deep voice. “I must find the Avatar to restore my honour!” Aang stared at her silently, unsure of how she expected him to react. So…she was related to Zuko. His sister, perhaps? Or a cousin maybe. Either way, this wasn’t good news for Aang. “It’s okay, you can laugh,” she told him. “It’s funny.”</p><p>Aang ignored the comment. “So what now?”</p><p>“Now? Now it’s over. You’re tired and you have no place to go.” She stepped closer. “You can run, but I’ll catch you,” she drawled menacingly. Aang gulped. He pushed his fear down and pushed himself to his feet.</p><p>“I’m not running,” he said resolutely. ‘Please hurry up, Sokka!’ he thought worriedly.</p><p>The girl smirked at him, and let out a mirthless chuckle. “Do you really want to fight me?”</p><p>“Yes, I really do,” a voice interjected. A voice that they both recognised. Aang’s eyes widened in shock as Zuko himself leapt out of an alley, placing himself between Aang and the girl. The girl’s expression didn’t change.</p><p>“I was wondering when you’d show up, Zuzu,” the girl smirked. Despite the serious situation Aang found himself in, he couldn’t help but snigger. Zuzu? That was a good one. Sokka would <em>love </em>that.</p><p>“Back off, Azula!” Zuko retorted. “This is between you and me.”</p><p>“Like I’d waste my time with you. I’m not going anywhere,” the girl, Azula, replied calmly. “I’m just finishing what you failed to do. Lots of times,” she added pointedly. Zuko narrowed his eyes at her. He briefly flicked his attention to Aang, but once he was satisfied that the Avatar wasn’t going to attack him with his back turned, he turned back to Azula. He took a deep breath, hoping he could count on Katara. He <em>could</em> take these two on if they attacked simultaneously, but it would be a damn sight easier with backup. Azula bent into a stance in preparation. Behind Zuko, Aang did the same, brandishing his glider defensively.</p><p>Suddenly, Aang detected a movement behind Azula, slowly and quietly creeping up to her. ‘Sokka!’ Aang thought with relief. But as they came into focus, he realised it wasn’t Sokka at all… His eyes widened. “<em>Katara?!</em>” he shouted, aghast.</p><p>Azula snapped her head around, spying the Water Tribe girl. ‘Oh, so this is how they’re playing it.’ Fine. It would just make her feat all the more impressive when it was over.</p><p>Without warning, both her brother and the Water Tribe girl attacked. Katara lashed out with a vicious water-whip as Zuko blasted a fireball in her direction. Azula nimbly rolled forward, evading their charges, and spun on her heel to face her opponents. She turned her attention to Zuzu, and sent out a searing burst of blue flames at him. He deflected with a fire shield, almost falling backwards in the process as he countered her force.</p><p>She turned to Katara and hurriedly stepped to the side upon sight of the ice dagger that the other woman had launched at her. She wore a smirk to rival Azula’s even as she formed another ice dagger. ‘So violent,’ Azula thought. She was almost impressed. Too bad this one likely wouldn’t survive the encounter. But Azula would have to deal with her later. After she had taken down the Avatar. She raised up a wall of fire between herself and Katara, and took off in the direction of Aang.</p><p>It wasn’t long before the scene descended into utter chaos. It was hard to tell who was aiming for who at times. Azula’s primary target remained the Avatar even as she continued to evade brother and the Water peasant, until the Avatar unexpectedly took flight. She scrambled up onto the roof of one of the buildings and shot out fireballs towards his retreating figure. She aimed just above him, at the wings on his glider. It had the desired effect. He hurriedly closed his glider, twirling it to deflect the flames, and used his airbending to bring himself back down. Azula began running again, chasing him. She was so focused on the Avatar that she didn’t notice the pool of water just ahead of her. As she caught it, the surface beneath her feet suddenly turned slick, and she lost her grip on the tiles. She almost instantly slipped and began sliding down the tiles, before grabbing onto the beam that crowned the roof to save herself. She watched as the ice that had knocked her off-balance melted before her eyes, and it streamed towards her hands. Sensing what was going to happen, Azula kicked her feet and backflipped off the roof, landing in a crouch just as Katara summoned the water to her. She still wore a smirk on her face. Azula smirked back.</p><p>What a pity she was only a common Water peasant. Azula would have considered asking her to join her otherwise. Those kinds of killer instincts were exactly what she valued in her accomplices. Oh well, too bad. If she was going to insist on being difficult and stubborn, Azula would just have to make quick work of her. As Azula blasted a fireball at her, the other woman raised an ice shield in defence. The ice sizzled and melted almost immediately on contact, but it did the job. Azula heard Zuzu coming up on her right before she saw him, and almost lazily flicked a blast in his direction to block his own.</p><p>She then saw the Avatar dart past behind the Water peasant, and leapt into the air, avoiding the water-whip that had been aimed at her. She landed just behind the peasant and took off after the Avatar, shooting her blue flames at him as he scurried up the steps outside one of the houses. Azula sped after him, with Zuko hot on her tail.</p><p>Katara instead ran into the open doorway of the lower level of the house, hoping to cut her off so she and Zuko could ambush her from both sides. She heard Aang’s air scooter almost as soon as she entered the building. She looked up and realised that the upper level had no floor, as well as no roof. Only the sight of the darkening, purple sky greeted her. Aang hovered just above her, and he gave a small wave as Azula crossed the threshold at top speed. She quickly realised her mistake, and stumbled, windmilled and agilely leapt to the corner, before finally pressing herself firmly against the wall to maintain her balance.</p><p>Katara cocked her head to the side as she watched. She decided that a well-aimed water-whip ought to topple her. And when she fell to the ground, hopefully winded and maybe injured, Katara would have her right where she wanted her. Katara’s eyes were fixed on Azula, but just as she was about to lash out, a shocked cry broke her concentration. Zuko suddenly came tumbling down towards her, and before Katara could react, he landed squarely on top of her. They both crashed to the floor, Zuko pinning her body beneath his.</p><p>“Get off her!” Aang shouted from above as Azula smirked.</p><p>“Fuck, that hurt,” Zuko grumbled. He looked down and realised Katara was just below him, looking less than impressed. He hurriedly pushed himself off her.</p><p>“Well, at least you had me to break your fall,” Katara remarked drily as he extended his hand and pulled her back to her feet. This didn’t go unnoticed by either Aang or Azula, but there was no time to dwell on it. Aang was quickly running out of energy to sustain his air-scooter, not helped by another blast of blue that Azula shot at him. A scuffle ensued, ending with both of them on the lower level. Without thinking, Aang grabbed Katara’s hand and dragged her out of the house.</p><p>“What do you think you’re doing?” she frowned, her voice dripping with venom. She snatched her hand out of his grasp. Aang looked up at her with alarm, sadness filling his chest at her tone, but again he had no time to dwell on it as Azula blasted her way out of the house, and came crashing through the wall in a fiery explosion. With not even a single strand of hair out of place, she made a beeline for Aang, who turned on his heel and ran.</p><p>Just as Azula sailed past Katara and chased after him, Zuko staggered out of the building, looking a little worse for wear.</p><p>“Do you want to go on?” Katara asked him after checking he wasn’t injured. Zuko nodded determinedly. He wasn't going to just let Azula get away…and he certainly wasn’t going to run from her. Not again. Not after last time. This time, <em>he </em>had the advantage and he fully intended to use it. Katara smirked in understanding as he relayed this to her, then took off after the other two.</p><p>Zuko shook himself and was about to run after them when he heard a yell behind him, and turned around to come face-to-face with the Water Tribe boy. Katara’s brother, he remembered. He was brandishing a machete. Zuko instinctively drew out the twin Dao swords strapped to his back. He hadn’t wanted to bring them, fearing they would only slow him down, but Katara had suggested it in case the ‘Pink Perky Acrobat’ got to him and took his bending away. He stared the other man down coldly, waiting for him to make the first move. The Water Tribe boy seemed to be waiting for the same thing. The fight going on elsewhere in the village was momentarily forgotten, the sounds of battle fading as each swordsman took their opponent in.</p><p>But the staring contest they had both unwittingly entered into was cut sharply off by a loud, fearful shout coming from one of the buildings behind Zuko. Sokka paled at the sound, and it snapped both of them out of their reverie. Sokka stared at Zuko with wide eyes, but he just couldn’t ignore that cry. It had sounded like Aang… Sokka held up his machete defensively and pushed past Zuko, hoping against hope that he wasn’t too late to help Aang.</p><p>Sokka was right to be worried, for Aang had found himself in a very tight spot indeed. He was on his buttocks, backed against a wall, and to make matters worse, he was pinned underneath a heavy wooden beam that, try as he might, he just couldn’t budge. Azula all but cackled when she came across him, and her eyes lit up with delight as the walls around them began to blaze at her behest. Azula curled her hand into a fist and ignited it, not once taking her eyes off the panic-stricken Avatar that lay before her, savouring the anticipation of this moment. The moment she had been waiting for, when she would land her killing blow and finally rid her country of this scourge, surpassing her brother once again. Aang cried out, desperately wriggling underneath the beam to free himself. He was too afraid to airbend it off, fearing that it would only fan the flames that were already licking uncomfortably close, and with Azula right in front of him blocking the only exit, he had no easy way to escape. Beads of sweat ran from his forehead down his whole face, and not just from the heat.</p><p>But before Azula could make her move, she suddenly felt ice cold hands yank her from behind. She yelped in shock, the flames on her fist fizzling harmlessly into nothing. The strange hands wrapped themselves around her, one crossing her body to pinch her left shoulder, the other one delicately cradling her neck. Azula got over her surprise quickly and began fuming. She lashed out behind her, ready to burn them to a crisp for daring to lay their hands on her, when she felt the cold metal of a blade press to her throat. She instantly stilled.</p><p>“Katara, what are you <em>doing</em>?!” Aang gasped, but the women ignored him.</p><p>“Well, this is a surprise, peasant,” Azula remarked calmly and sounding oddly cheerful. Katara smirked, and leaned in to whisper in her ear.</p><p>“You make one wrong move, and I will <em>end </em>you, princess.” Even without seeing her face, Azula could tell that she was smiling. She was enjoying this…</p><p>Katara began to drag her back out of the house and into the street. Azula let her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike back. Both Sokka and Zuko skidded to a halt upon seeing them, having been about to burst into the building themselves. Azula sensed Katara shift her attention to Sokka and Zuko. Azula raised her right arm, and jabbed her elbow sharply into Katara’s stomach. With a groan, Katara’s grip loosened, and Azula managed to spring free. Her eyes were blazing with fury, and the moment she was out from under Katara’s hold, she blasted at her, aiming straight for the face. Katara blocked it with an ice shield, and lashed out with an ice dagger.</p><p>“<em>Katara?!</em>” Sokka exclaimed, almost dropping his machete in shock. “What are you – how are you – <em>Aang</em>! Are you okay?”</p><p>Aang emerged from the building, looking dazed. The exhaustion of the last day weighed heavily on him and it showed clearly in his young, boyish face. Once Katara had dragged Azula away from him, Aang had airbent the beam off himself and hopped onto to an air-scooter to safety. The move had taken up almost all of the last of his energy reserves, and he felt ready to collapse to the ground and sleep for days. But that still wasn’t an option.</p><p>It took only a very short moment for the three of them to register the furious battle of fire versus water that had broken out, and all three of them moved to stand by Katara’s side, and faced Azula.</p><p>Realising she was fast becoming vastly outnumbered, Azula swung her arm outward, an arch of fire following in her wake. All four of her opponents dodged the flames easily. Tiring of the battle, Azula was just about prepared to incinerate the lot of them and call it a day, when the earth beneath her feet abruptly shot upwards, and she fell to the ground.</p><p>“I thought you guys could use a little help,” Toph piped up from the shadows.</p><p>“Thanks, Toph,” Aang sighed gratefully as she ran to stand beside them.</p><p>As she got up, Azula surveyed her situation. The Water Tribe boy and the other little brat in their group had clearly managed to give Mai and Ty Lee the slip. And there was no sign of them anywhere. She was alone. Four on one (non-benders didn’t count). Azula was a master firebender. A prodigy. The apple of her father’s eye. The best, most powerful firebender of her generation…but despite all that, these odds were most definitely <em>not </em>in Azula’s favour. She couldn’t win this. Not with all of them against her. A bender of each element stood opposing her. Even the non-bender couldn’t be as idiotic as he looked, if he had been able to evade Mai and Ty Lee seemingly unscathed.</p><p>As loath as she was to admit it, and as much as the thought filled her with physical pain, Azula knew the time had come to retreat. ‘Enemies and traitors, all working together,’ Azula thought bitterly.</p><p>She turned around and ran as fast as her feet could carry her. She raced down an alley and out of the village. She ran across the plains, and spied the telltale smoke from the tank in the distance, getting closer. So her friends were still alive then. That was something. She sped towards it. ‘Just wait until father hears about what Zuzu’s doing <em>now</em>…’ Oh he would be <em>furious</em>. Zuko was going to be in for a world of pain when they eventually caught up to him.</p><p>But father could never find out about this, she realised. <em>Never</em>. It wouldn’t matter that it had been four on one. Father would be so ashamed of her, if he knew she’d fled. If he knew she, like Zuzu, had had the Avatar in her grasp and just let him slip through her fingers. All because she’d been outnumbered? It was pathetic. As disgusted as he might be with Zuko for siding with them, he would still be disappointed in her. That was worse. So much worse. She had witnessed father’s disappointment before. It had all but broken Zuzu, weak as he was. As a child, she had vowed to never be on the receiving end of it. Just because she had reached adulthood didn’t mean she was going to let that change now.</p><p>Realistically, there was no <em>reason </em>for father to need to know about this. He didn’t demand constant reports on Azula’s progress. He trusted her to get the job done. He didn’t care how. And she <em>would</em>, she resolved. This slip-up was a shameful mistake…but fleeing didn’t make her <em>weak</em>. She <em>wasn’t </em>Zuzu. No, it made her clever. She was keeping herself alive so that she might succeed later, rather than dying in a vainglorious attempt to prove she was better than Zuzu. As if she needed to prove that. Even Zuzu couldn’t be under the illusion that he was better than her.</p><p>Father didn’t need to know. She would find the Avatar again. She would get the job done this time. She would make him proud, prouder than he had ever been of anyone. She would be the reason his eyes twinkled with delight when she returned home, victorious. He would finally name her as his successor officially, and she would have a bright future as Fire Lord when the time came. By then, Azula was certain she would be ruling the entire world. The resistance had to crumble eventually. And Azula would be the one to strike the final blow when they did.</p><p>No, father didn’t need to know…father didn’t need to know…father didn’t need to know…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just a few quick notes: In S2E8, 'The Chase', when Azula is making her escape the first time, she bumps into Iroh and that's what stops her and leads to her being cornered by all five of them. But as you saw, that didn't happen here. I just want to clarify that there is very much a reason why Iroh doesn't intervene on this occasion, and it will be explained in the next chapter.</p><p>I had a lot of fun imagining the differences Katara's absence would make to Sokka and Aang's adventures. In S2E5, 'Avatar Day', it was actually Katara who intervened and doused the flames. I'm of the opinion that given the circumstances, Sokka has had to take on the role of the responsible one, and it made more sense to me that he would hold Aang back from drawing attention to himself. In S2E6, 'The Blind Bandit', it was Katara who intimidated the boys into giving up the location of the Earth Rumble so quickly.</p><p>I was seriously considering not having Aang and Toph fight the way they did in S2E8, since Katara was the one who instigated it in the canon, but the conversation with Iroh is just too important for Toph's character development and it would have been remiss of me to ignore that. I hope the substitute argument was satisfying.</p><p>Thank you so much to everyone who commented and left kudos! I'm cautiously optimistic Chapter 10 will be ready in about two weeks, but I can't make any promises. Until next time!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. A Fatal Curiosity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sokka shares an important conversation with his sister; Iroh puts off making a difficult decision; and Katara reaches a conclusion of her own about Zuko.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I won't lie, this took me longer than expected to get ready. But I'm really happy with the result, so I think it was worth it. Hopefully you will too :)</p><p>After all the action from the last three chapters, this one is much quieter but just as vital to the plot. It was a lot of fun getting into everyone's heads.</p><p>But you don't care about my ramblings! Enjoy, my lovelies.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moment Azula turned on her heels and ran, Zuko immediately took after her. He chased her through the village and down the alley, his feet pounding the ground as he strove desperately to keep up. But Azula was agile and fast – much faster than Zuko. By the time he broke out of the other side of the alley, she was already little more than a silhouette in the distance, racing across the sandy plains towards a pillar of smoke. It was the tank, Zuko realised ruefully. Fuck. He was <em>never </em>going to reach her before she reached them, not just on his feet. He growled in frustration.</p><p>But perhaps it wasn’t too late. The ostrich-horses must be faster than Azula, right? On impulse, he turned to dash towards them and was so focused on his task that he almost barrelled directly into Katara. Again. He hadn’t even realised she’d followed him out here.</p><p>“We need to get to the ostrich-horses,” Zuko told her. “We can catch up to her.”</p><p>“What’s the point?” she asked oddly cheerily. “That went really well.”</p><p>“Are you <em>serious</em>?” Zuko gaped at her. He frowned. “I thought you were with me on this. She escaped!”</p><p>“Correction – she ran away,” Katara responded breezily.</p><p>“What difference does that make?” Zuko argued, exasperated.</p><p>She sighed patiently. “We came here to kick her ass, we kicked her ass.”</p><p>“That’s not enough!” Zuko protested. “She’s still out there, she-”</p><p>“Fled the scene,” Katara calmly finished for him. At Zuko’s blank, increasingly frustrated glare, Katara continued, “You really don’t get it? She realised she couldn’t beat us and scurried off with her tail between her legs.” She stepped up to him. “You won, Zuko.”</p><p>At her words, Zuko faltered. He hadn’t <em>won</em>¸ what was she talking about? Zuko didn’t win when it came to his family. No, what Azula had done was manage to gain the upper hand again. She was still out there, unscathed, and just as full of the same lethal fire as she always had been. <em>He</em> hadn’t intimidated her in the slightest. His blasts had barely grazed her. At least hers hadn’t done much to him either, save for blowing up the wall when he’d been standing too close for comfort.</p><p>But upon seeing Katara’s expression, he forced himself to stop and think, like his uncle had always encouraged him to do. He supposed that there was one positive to the situation – ultimately, he had prevented Azula from carrying off the Avatar. He had given her a taste of how unreasonably and frustratingly difficult it was. As victories went, it wasn’t much of one as far as Zuko was concerned. And yet…he had actually stopped Azula in her goal…</p><p>Perhaps Katara was right. Thanks to him and Katara, Azula had <em>failed </em>at something she set out to do. Zuko couldn’t recall the last time Azula had failed at anything. Was that the sort of thing that might eat her up? Knowing that she wasn’t completely perfect and infallible? Dark and petty as he knew that was, Zuko found himself hoping it did disturb her. It was actually rather satisfying to think about. Rather than capturing the Avatar on what, as far as Zuko knew at least, was her first attempt and shaming Zuko for his repeated failures even more, she had scarpered back to her friends. He realised he also couldn’t remember the last time Azula had, as Katara had aptly put it, scurried off with her tail between her legs…he didn’t think he had <em>ever </em>seen Azula do that. As that realisation dawned on him, the corners of his mouth quirked up.</p><p>Noticing this, Katara piped up, “Do you see my point now?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Zuko nodded. He turned back to Katara. “Thank you for your help.”</p><p>“Don’t mention it. That was a <em>lot </em>of fun,” she smirked back at him.</p><p>‘Yeah,’ Zuko thought. ‘It really was.’</p><p>****</p><p>Back in the village square, Aang felt like he was on the verge of collapse. Largely because he was. Now that the manic firebending girl – Azula – was no longer an immediate threat, all of the exhaustion, fatigue and pain from the battle that had collected in Aang’s muscles abruptly gave way and flooded his entire system. His weary legs practically shook with exertion and he had to use his staff to prop himself up. As distracted as Sokka was by Katara’s very sudden and unexpected appearance, his mind whirling, he was also quick to notice Aang’s state. He watched fitfully as Katara chased after Zuko, while hurriedly reaching in his pocket for a stash of nuts and berries. He imagined they weren’t in the best condition, but Aang was very stubbornly vegetarian and Sokka doubted he would be thankful if Sokka just shoved some seal jerky in his face, even if it was for Aang’s own good. Aang gratefully took the few morsels that Sokka was able to offer him.</p><p>“Stay here with Toph – I’m going after Katara,” Sokka told him, drawing his boomerang. He wasn’t going to leave her to fight alone for any longer than he had to. She was here! Somehow, against all odds, Katara had found her way back to them! He would give her the biggest, squishiest hug he could, then keep his promise to both their father and Gran-Gran to look after her. And the promise he made to himself – he would never let her down again.</p><p>“Sokka, wait,” Aang said. Sokka huffed impatiently, but half-turned to face Aang, the other half poised to race off. The younger boy looked incredibly nervous all of a sudden, and he began to stutter, “You – you didn’t see it, but…there was…there was something weird going on with her…”</p><p>Sokka narrowed his eyes. “Do you <em>really </em>want to do this again, Aang? She is my <em>sister</em>, I-”</p><p>“I know!” Aang said hurriedly, holding his hands out in front of him. “That’s not what I’m saying. I meant, I think there’s something weird with her and…and Zuko.” At Sokka’s blank, increasingly withering look, Aang quickly continued, “She showed up almost right after he did. And…and during the fight, he knocked her down but then helped her back up again. She didn’t even fight him. I…I think they might have been working together…” His voice trailed off uncertainly. After Sokka had yelled at him earlier (and he had <em>really </em>let Aang have it), he was less sure of how Sokka might react, and he didn’t want to do anything to risk upsetting him again. Sokka was his closest friend as things stood, and Aang truly felt awful for all the anguish and pain that Sokka had suffered since Katara had left them. Aang knew he was to blame for that but…it had shaken him, seeing her in battle. What if their time apart had only made Katara resent him more? What if she had decided she hated Aang so much that she was willing to hand him over to his enemies, just to ensure he stayed out of her life? He <em>never </em>wanted to believe that of her… He knew he was tired and that could do messy things to people’s thoughts, but Katara and Zuko really had seemed to be fighting on the same side.</p><p>Although, as he thought about it a bit more, Aang realised that neither of them had attempted to attack or hurt him. Katara had even saved him at one point…but the way she had done it…something was off. Something had been so off, so wrong with his sweet, loving and loyal Katara ever since the North Pole. Aang wanted her back almost as badly as Sokka did. His heart yearned for her, ached for her. So why, now that he had seen her again, she was actually here and she had helped him, was his heart not singing? Why did it feel heavy and leaden? Why could he feel a tendril of dread coil around it like a two-headed viper?</p><p>“Don’t be ridiculous!” Sokka scoffed. “My sister would never work with that firebending asshole. She’s fighting him right now, and if you don’t mind, I would <em>really </em>like to go help her out.” He tried to move away, and let out a frustrated whine when he was held back once more, this time by Toph.</p><p>“Actually, Snoozles, I think your sister and that firebending asshole are just talking.” She pointed in the direction of the alley. “I can’t hear what they’re saying exactly, but they’re not moving like they’re fighting.”</p><p>Before, Sokka had tried to be calm. He had tried to be rational and take on a role of responsibility. He had lost his temper once today already. He felt bad about that. Aang was so wholesome and innocent, it was like scolding a baby penguin for being too cute and delicious. What he had said to Aang had been correct, but Sokka was nineteen, a full-grown man. He should have handled it better. Losing Katara had been one of the most painful experiences of his life, akin only to when he and Katara had lost their mother. But still, he had stepped up and put his own needs aside. Now though, and Sokka couldn’t even begin to explain why, he felt angry, and affronted.</p><p><em>Why</em> was Zuko here? <em>How</em> had he even found them again? And what the <em>fuck </em>was Zuko doing to his sister to stop her from fighting him?! A red-hot rage began to fill Sokka’s core, and before either Aang or even Toph could react, he charged towards the alley.</p><p>****</p><p>Suddenly, Katara and Zuko heard a loud, angry cry raging from the village. “Get away from my sister, you bastard!”</p><p>Zuko instantly growled with displeasure and took a step towards the sound, but Katara held her arm out in front of his chest. It was Sokka, she knew. “I should probably go talk to my brother,” she said. “Wait for me?”</p><p>Zuko scowled at her. “You can’t just dismiss me!”</p><p>“Do it your way if you want,” Katara shrugged. “Just don’t come crying to me if they attack you.”</p><p>That made Zuko pause, and his scowl deepened. “So I guess our alliance only goes so far,” he hissed.</p><p>“When it comes to my brother, yes,” Katara replied, an unnerving smile gracing her features. “I won’t turn on him for you and don’t expect me to.” With that, she headed into the village without looking back at Zuko. She crossed the threshold just as Sokka reached the alley, brandishing his boomerang and flailing his arm wildly. He skidded to a halt when he spotted her. He scanned behind her, but Zuko was nowhere in sight. Katara had come alone. She had got away. She was okay.</p><p>“Katara!” he panted, the relief evident on his face, and he broke out into a wide, goofy grin. “Thank the spirits you’re all right!” He dropped his boomerang and threw his arms around her, wrapping her into a tight embrace. Feeling as mellow as she always did after a good fight, and riding a rather magnificent high to boot, Katara closed her own arms around him. To her pleasant surprise, she was actually glad to see him. It had been a few weeks. It was good to know he was still alive and well.</p><p>“Hey, Sokka,” she greeted warmly.</p><p>“Where have you been?!” Sokka gushed frantically, pulling away from her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared at his sister intensely. “Are you okay? What happened? How did you find us? What-”</p><p>Through Sokka’s babbling, Katara didn’t notice Toph. Undetected, the young earthbender confidently strode through the same alley, sensing Zuko through her feet. Or at least, she was able to sense someone. She hadn’t spent enough time with the firebender to be able to distinguish Zuko’s unique patterns and vibrations from anyone else yet, but it was extremely unlikely to be anyone but him. Using her earthbending, she had continued to ‘see’ the firebending woman make her escape long after everyone else had. And she hadn’t sensed anyone come back, or any other kind of change in movement. It had to be him.</p><p>“Prince Ponytail, I presume?” To her right, she sensed him shift immediately into a defensive stance. “Relax,” she said and turned to face him. “I’m not here to fight. And it’s only fair to warn you that I <em>am </em>the world’s greatest earthbender. I could bury you up to your neck with one stomp, so you might wanna take a moment before you try to attack me.” It was actually a slightly more complicated move than that, hence why Toph hadn’t had the time to bury Azula in the battle, but she doubted that this Prince Ponytail knew enough about earthbending to be able to tell.</p><p>“If you’re not here to fight, what are you doing?” Zuko asked her suspiciously.</p><p>“My buddies just wanna talk to their girl in peace,” Toph informed him, shrugging. “I guess I’m here to guard you or something? I don’t know.”</p><p>“I don’t need <em>guarding</em>,” Zuko spat, but Toph felt him retreat from his stance and stand upright. Toph raised her hands defensively.</p><p>“Hey, don’t blame me if they don’t trust you, Ponytail. They told me all about you. I’m not the one who tried to kill Twinkletoes for half a year.”</p><p>Zuko didn’t know where to begin with what was wrong with that statement. He didn’t even <em>have </em>a ponytail (and it was a <em>phoenix </em>tail besides) for one, not anymore. He had never tried to <em>kill </em>anyone, for another. And who the fuck was Twinkletoes?! Was she just trying to confuse him and throw him off his game, make him an easier target? He glared down at her, but she just looked blankly back at him. That was when he noticed. Her eyes. When he’d first seen her, he had just taken them to be a vibrant, light jade green in colour, but they were in fact milky and clouded over. Was she blind? But how could that be? Her moves, her steps were all so sure. Zuko had noticed that it was the girl’s earthbending that seemed to prompt Azula into finally giving up – but how had the girl known where to aim…?</p><p>He brushed all of that aside. It didn’t matter one little bit at the end of the day. The girl was with the Avatar – Katara’s replacement, most probably. Katara had told him how much the Avatar loved to bask in the attention all of his adoring fans so loved to give him. He obviously must have missed having a female on-hand to fawn over him whenever his inflated Avatar ego was taking a dip. The thought made him frown but he didn’t know why.</p><p>Zuko groaned in frustration, willing the girl to just go away and leave him alone, but she stood rooted to the spot, watching him closely. “I’m not going to do anything,” he told her irritably. “Stop staring at me.”</p><p>“Then why are you here?”</p><p>“That’s none of your business!”</p><p>“Were you here for Twinkletoes?”</p><p>“I don’t even know who Twinkletoes is!”</p><p>“Oh, right, I guess you wouldn’t,” the girl acknowledged. “The Avatar. Are you here to just try and capture him? Because let me tell you, Ponytail, that’s not gonna happen.”</p><p>“No, I’m not,” he scowled. “Will you leave me alone now?”</p><p>“Sorry, no can do,” the girl said, not sounding in the least bit sorry. Toph paused for a moment, listening in on the conversation that was happening in the village. “Just what <em>is </em>your deal?”</p><p>“My deal is – leave me alone.”</p><p>Toph snorted with amusement, and let out a high cackle. “I like you, Fireboy,” she said genuinely. “And you’re not lying, so that helps.”</p><p>“How can you possibly tell?”</p><p>“I’m amazing,” she replied completely unabashedly.</p><p>****</p><p>Katara gave Sokka a few moments to run out of words before responding. She noticed the Avatar behind him, watching her cautiously. She stared blankly back at him before returning her attention to her brother, who finally seemed to have finished. Not that she knew what he had said. How was she supposed to? He’d been babbling rather incessantly. She smiled and shook her head at him.</p><p>“I’m not sure what you expect from me, Sokka,” she said patiently. “I could barely keep up with what you were asking.”</p><p>“Where were you? Why did you leave?” Sokka’s hands were still resting hard on her shoulders, as if he was worried she might float away if he didn’t anchor her down. Katara glanced at them but made no move to shake him off.</p><p>“I was staying in a village in the plains. I left because the Avatar asked me to,” she explained simply. She spotted the aforementioned Avatar rub the back of his head sheepishly behind Sokka.</p><p>“He didn’t mean that!” Sokka told her. “Right, Aang?”</p><p>“Right,” Aang replied uncertainly. Truthfully, though he wouldn’t admit this to Sokka, he was still wary of Katara. As much as he wanted her to return to them, as much as he’d missed her, he couldn’t quite shake the way she had behaved before their argument. He’d reasoned perhaps she had just been stressed. It couldn’t be easy, having to leave the only life she’d ever known behind to follow him into peril nigh on every day. Especially when she believed he wasn’t taking their whole endeavour seriously enough. And she had been right about Chin Village and Gaoling, in the end. If they had listened to her, they could have saved themselves a couple of weeks, just as Katara had predicted. It still grated a little on Aang that Sokka hadn’t allowed him to stay and try to resolve the strife in Chin Village, though. Especially now that he had heard the truth from Kyoshi. But that was done and by the by, he told himself.</p><p>It would be good to have Katara back. Sokka would be happy, and Aang could go back to learning waterbending from a master. Yes, it would be good…it had to be good. They’d make it work. Perhaps over time, Katara would even go back to her old self? Judging by the way she was acting with Sokka right now, she seemed halfway there already! Pride wasn’t encouraged at the air temples, but Aang had always taken satisfaction in how easy he found it to reach forgiveness. He was more than happy and ready to forgive Katara for her part in their falling out.</p><p>Something still seemed off though. She had actually been really scary at one point during the fight. When he’d taken her hand to try and pull her to safety, the withering look she had thrown at him like he was a…like he was…he didn’t even know. But he knew he didn’t like it. That had been bad enough, but then he later saw her pull a dagger and threaten Azula with it! Like it was nothing. Aang had very conflicted feelings about that – on the one hand, Katara doing that had drawn the attention away from him and given him time to escape, but on the other, it had been so needlessly <em>violent</em>. Katara, the Katara he missed desperately, would never have done that. As much as Aang wanted to try and make excuses for her, for both his and Sokka’s sakes, he simply couldn’t reconcile ‘stress’ or ‘exhaustion’ with calmly holding a blade to someone’s throat…</p><p>“Is there something you’d like to say, Aang?” Sokka prompted in a short tone. Katara’s gaze flicked to Aang. He gulped nervously, opening and closing his mouth, and stuttering.</p><p>“It doesn’t seem like he does,” Katara observed and turned back to Sokka. Sokka in turn swivelled around to face Aang, his expression clearly asking ‘what are you waiting for?’ But Aang couldn’t. He was happy to apologise for their argument, but the more he thought about it, the less sure he was about it all. She wasn’t his Katara, the one he’d started to fall in love with, the one who was always kind and affectionate with him, the one who doted on him and made sure he was okay.</p><p>But he could still apologise. Aang really hated lying, but that wouldn’t count. He <em>did</em> regret what he’d said to her. “I’m really sorry, Katara. I shouldn’t have said those things to you.” As he spoke, he bowed his head in humility. “I hope you can forgive me.”</p><p>‘Does not caring count as forgiveness?’ Katara wondered. She didn’t have time to ponder it, however, because Aang continued, “And…I’m sorry for what I’m about to ask, but…what were you doing back there? You held a knife to Azula’s throat! That’s not like you. What were you <em>thinking</em>?” Sokka’s head snapped back to Katara, a look of shock and confusion on his face.</p><p>“What’s he talking about?” he asked her.</p><p>“What does it matter?” Katara smiled. “She was about to fire. I actually did him a favour.”</p><p>“So…you did it to help Aang?” Sokka checked nervously. She hadn’t, not intentionally. It was just what had happened. She would have done it regardless, Aang just happened to be in danger at the time. But Katara knew that neither of them, especially not the Avatar, would accept that. So she simply nodded. Lying when it benefited her was pretty much second nature to her now, but she couldn’t say she liked lying to her brother. “Well, that makes sense,” Sokka said slowly, nodding as if trying to convince himself. “You did what you had to, right?”</p><p>“You could have just used a water-whip,” Aang pointed out.</p><p>“Why? There was no guarantee that would have worked. At best, it might have distracted her if you were lucky,” Katara replied, “but she wouldn’t have just stopped because she got a little wet.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“Aang, that’s really not important,” Sokka interjected. “What matters is that Katara helped you. She probably saved your life.”</p><p>“Well…” Aang began uncertainly. He sighed. He really didn’t want to fight again. Sokka was right. He may not have agreed with Katara’s method, but it <em>had </em>helped him. The monks had always taught that you didn’t have to agree with others’ opinions or their way of doing things, but you should always strive to practice acceptance. Perhaps Katara had only been trying to scare Azula into backing off. She probably wouldn’t have actually <em>done </em>it, right? “I – I guess I was just shocked,” he admitted. “But we were in a fight. I’m sure you did what you thought was best, in the heat of the moment.” Of course, yes! The heat of the moment…that was all it had been. He smiled, feeling his body sag in relief. “So, thank you.”</p><p>“That’s very mature of you,” Katara said, nodding as if in approval.</p><p>“I did have some growing up to do,” he agreed. “And…and you were completely right about Chin Village. It turned out they all hated me there! I should have listened to you. I’m really sorry.”</p><p>“Oh yeah!” Sokka chimed in. “Katara, you should have seen them. It was crazy! They-”</p><p>As Sokka began rambling on again, Toph continued to listen, while Zuko continued to scowl at her presence. It sounded like it was going well so far. Snoozles would be happy, she thought.</p><p>“-and it turned out, Kyoshi did technically kill Chin but he was apparently a tyrant who was threatening her people,” Aang concluded, having taken over from Sokka in telling the story.</p><p>“Sounds like she did the best thing,” Katara said. She hummed in amusement as a whimsical thought occurred to her. “A little hypocritical though, don’t you think?” she smiled thinly at Aang, cocking her head to the side. “You’re judging me just for threatening Azula, but your own past life actually <em>killed </em>someone…and yet you seem fine with that.”</p><p>“I…I wasn’t trying to <em>judge </em>you,” Aang stammered. “Like I said, I was – I was just shocked.”</p><p>Katara raised her eyebrows. “I see.” Whatever. She didn’t care. And she really didn’t want to let the Avatar sour her good mood. Where the red haze that so often plagued her tinted everything with frustration, her current mellowness evoked the exact opposite. She instead felt a serene stillness overcome her, a sense of blissful calm. Where the red haze made her dreadfully impatient, the mellowness left her with not a single care in the world and it seemed as if nothing was capable of irritating her. She found people quirky and amusing rather than stupid and dull. There was a reason, after all, the only times she had truly <em>enjoyed </em>the company of Paik and the other soldiers back in Ganhan was after a satisfying hunt.</p><p>“Sooo, anyway Katara,” Sokka jumped in, trying to defuse the tension that he could feel building up between them again. “What have you been doing? Are you okay?”</p><p>“Yes, I’m fine, Sokka,” Katara replied pleasantly. “I found some work bounty hunting.”</p><p>“…oh,” Sokka squeaked in surprise. His sister a bounty hunter? He couldn’t imagine that. But, that was fine. There were some noble aspects to the work, he was sure. In fact, knowing Katara, she had probably cleared her area of all the criminals and made others quake in their boots at the mere idea of encountering her. <em>That </em>was more like the Katara he knew and had grown up with, he thought with a smile. <em>That </em>was his spirited little sister. “And, uh, how did that go for you?”</p><p>“It’s fun,” she nodded contentedly. “It turns out I’m actually pretty good at it.” It then occurred to her she hadn’t asked after him. She supposed she should. It was the ‘normal’ thing to do. After all, he <em>was </em>her brother. And she was in such a good mood. “How have you been?” As she asked, she found she did actually want to know the answer.</p><p>“Not great, if I’m being honest,” Sokka sighed. “I really missed you.”</p><p>“It was strange not having you around,” Katara admitted. “I did think about you.” Not as often as anyone ‘normal’ probably would have done, she thought, but it wasn’t a lie. Sokka nodded.</p><p>“Well, none of that matters now, because you found us,” he said brightly, grinning at her. “And I hope you know you can talk to me.”</p><p>A puzzled expression fell onto Katara’s face. “About what?”</p><p>“Anything,” Sokka insisted. “And especially about…well…” he trailed off, hesitating with whether to say it or not. He didn’t want to spook her, much less offend her. But Katara <em>was </em>different, and it needed to be addressed now that he had her back. He needed her to know that he wanted to help and would do anything in his power to help. But perhaps it would go down better if it was just the two of them. “Aang, could you give us a moment?”</p><p>“Of course,” Aang said amiably, and wandered over to the other side of the square, out of earshot.</p><p>Sokka turned back to his sister and took a deep breath to steady himself “I know something happened to you,” he began, sounding much more confident than he felt, “and I get that it might be hard for you to talk about. But I want you to know that I will do anything – <em>anything </em>– I can to help.” He smiled reassuringly at her. “I just want my baby sister back.”</p><p>“I’m right here,” Katara replied, confused.</p><p>“But you’re not, Katara,” Sokka sighed sadly. It was like she didn’t even <em>know</em>, he thought. Something, somewhere had gone terribly wrong with his sister, and he was determined to find out what and put a stop to it. He still loved her with all his heart but he couldn’t stand to see how she was suffering. She was acting different and lashing out for a reason, and Sokka was certain it was because she was hurting deep inside, too afraid to ask for help. But there had to be a solution. There always was, and Sokka would be the one to discover it. He would help Katara through it every step of the way. “You’re not…you’re not <em>you </em>anymore. You haven’t been <em>you </em>for a while. And I miss <em>you</em>.”</p><p>Sokka believed he meant well. He truly did. But that was the worst possible thing he could have said to Katara. Even Katara herself hadn’t been aware that that was the worst thing he could have said before he’d uttered the words. A flash of hurt pulsed painfully through her, tearing across her chest like a lightning bolt. It lasted for only a second before it faded. “It’s not your fault,” Sokka added hastily. “I <em>know </em>it’s not your fault. And I don’t want you to worry. We’ll figure this out together.”</p><p>Katara looked at him blankly, unsure what reaction Sokka expected of her now. She could say one thing though – her good mood was suddenly gone. In that flash of hurt, her mellowness had been stolen. Even the vestiges of excitement that normally lingered had petered out into nothing. She was empty again.</p><p>‘You too, huh, Sokka?’ she realised with detachment. He had begged her plenty of times to tell him what was wrong, but he had never before voiced what he thought was wrong. That he thought <em>she </em>was wrong. She supposed she shouldn’t have been surprised. She had been led to believe that family might be different. However, that clearly wasn’t the case. Clearly, Sokka was having just as hard a time with her as anyone else would. ‘It seems like I should feel sad about this,’ she thought. It had taken her good mood away so Sokka’s revelation had obviously had <em>some </em>effect. But now that she was back to just being hollow, the fact that it was her own brother saying this mattered much less. It didn’t matter at all, in fact. He was just like everybody else. The only difference between Sokka and anybody else was that she wasn’t indifferent to whether he was alive or dead…</p><p>…except Sokka <em>wasn’t </em>just like everybody else, not to Katara. He could be just as simple, just as insipid, and yet Katara didn’t find those behaviours insufferable in Sokka. It had to be just because he was her brother, she reasoned. There was nothing particularly special about Sokka to set him apart otherwise. But what that implied was that, in some measure, Sokka was still important to Katara...</p><p>That was new. Katara hadn’t realised that people could still be important to her. But did it matter? Sokka might be important but he was also rejecting her. He only wanted ‘his baby sister’ back because apparently, Katara was no longer <em>her</em>.</p><p>Katara really wasn’t sure what to do with this information.</p><p>“It doesn’t have to be right now,” Sokka assured her. “If you need some time, that’s not a problem. We’ll have all the time in the world to talk once we get going. Oh, and did I tell you we found an earthbending teacher?”</p><p>Katara lifted her gaze to meet Sokka’s and furrowed her brow. “Once we get going?”</p><p>“Well, yeah. We should probably leave soon, though, in case crazy firebending lady comes back.”</p><p>Katara shook her head. “I’m not coming with you. I never said that.”</p><p>Sokka’s face fell. What…what did she mean? “But…you found us. I don’t understand.”</p><p>“That was an accident,” Katara told him honestly. “I didn’t even know you’d be here. Well, not until we found your camp anyway. Then it was just a case of following Appa’s sheddings.” She paused. “I presume the Avatar meant to leave a trail because he was stupidly easy to track down.”</p><p>“Yeah, we did but…Katara, who’s ‘we’? What do you mean?” His heart sank. Was she talking about Zuko? Oh spirits, what had that bastard <em>done </em>to her? “And what do you mean you’re not coming with us?”</p><p>“Oh…you don’t know,” Katara realised. She sighed. Knowing Sokka, he was going to completely overreact. Could she really be bothered to deal with that? She studied Sokka’s expression. He looked worried, more than anything else. Also confused, she believed, but she wasn’t sure. She was a lot better at reading people than when she’d last seen him, but she acknowledged she sometimes made mistakes. “I was with Zuko,” she told him. “He wanted to-”</p><p>“You were with <em>Zuko</em>?!” Sokka burst out, loud enough for even Aang to hear across the square.</p><p>Toph, who had been listening in the whole time, shot a confused look at Zuko. “You came here with Snoozles’ sister? How did that happen?”</p><p>“That’s none of your-”</p><p>“Shh, I’m trying to listen!”</p><p>“Then why did you ask me?!” Zuko huffed, but he fell silent once more.</p><p>“What – what were you doing with Zuko?” Sokka fretted, panic beginning to clench his insides. “Are you okay? What did he do to you?”</p><p>“Zuko hasn’t done anything to me,” Katara replied calmly. “He’s not hunting the Avatar anymore.”</p><p>“How do you know that?”</p><p>“He told me,” Katara said drily.</p><p>“And you <em>believed </em>him?” Sokka shook his head.</p><p>Toph turned back to Zuko. “Have you really stopped looking for Twinkletoes?”</p><p>“Yes,” Zuko rasped through gritted teeth. He had given up trying to brush the pesky earthbender off. It seemed easier to just answer her, because at least then he’d get a few moments of peace. Although he wasn’t sure why he was still there. Now that Katara had found her old crew, it was more than likely she’d go with them and leave him behind. Why would she choose him over her family?</p><p>‘Huh,’ Toph thought, ‘he’s not lying.’ Well, that was a surprisingly positive bit of news, and they needed that after the day they’d had. On the flip side, however, the reunion between Snoozles and his sister was taking a sour turn, and Snoozles was quickly becoming flustered. Twinkletoes had remained quiet up to this point, but now she both heard and ‘saw’ him walk up to the siblings.</p><p>“Actually, Sokka,” Aang volunteered, “I think Katara’s right about that. You weren’t there at the beginning. He could have turned on me so easily, but he only seemed interested in his sister.” Aang tried to catch Katara’s eye, as if he was seeking her approval, but her focus was solely on Sokka.</p><p>“Okay, fine, so maybe he temporarily grew a conscience,” Sokka waved his hand dismissively. “But I’ll bet he was using you to get to Aang and his sister just got in the way. But we’re here now, Katara. I’m going to take care of you. Let’s go before he changes his mind.” He took Katara’s hand and tried to lead her out of the village, but Katara rooted herself to the spot and wrested her hand free.</p><p>“No,” Katara said firmly. “I already told you, I’m not coming with you.”</p><p>Sokka felt his chest tighten at Katara’s words. His throat constricted painfully and it was becoming harder to breathe. His heart pounded in his ears. No…no! He had <em>just </em>found Katara after <em>weeks </em>of being worried sick about her. He wasn’t going to let her go, not this time. He’d stay awake for the rest of his life if that’s what it took to make sure she didn’t slip away again.</p><p>“No way,” Sokka shook his head determinedly. “No deal. You’re coming with us. I can’t do this without you, Katara!”</p><p>“You seem to have survived so far,” Katara pointed out. “Oh, did you find the necklace by the way?”</p><p>“Yes,” Aang interrupted before Sokka could speak. “He did. It broke his heart.”</p><p>“I wasn’t talking to you,” Katara said coolly.</p><p>“Please, Aang, just stay out of it,” Sokka agreed. “This is between me and my sister.” He turned back to Katara. “Katara, I am begging you,” he said pleadingly. “Come with us. I can’t…I can’t lose you again.”</p><p>“Really?” Katara asked quietly, careful to look him in the eye. “What difference will it make to you? Even when I was with you, you still seem to think you’ve lost me.” Why would she want to stick around for that?</p><p>“W-what?” Sokka looked crestfallen. Oh fuck, he was so <em>stupid</em>! He could hit himself for saying that! “No, no, Katara, I’m sorry! I’m sorry if I hurt you, that’s not what I meant!”</p><p>“It’s actually okay, Sokka,” Katara assured him. “Honestly, this is kinda what I expect from people so I’m not angry at you for it.” That didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt though.</p><p>“No, it’s not okay,” Sokka insisted in a tight voice. “You’re – you’re my baby sister. You’ll always be my baby sister. It’s just…” He sniffed. Tears began to well up in his eyes, but he steadfastly refused to let them fall. “It’s just hard,” he confessed thickly. “I <em>know </em>something is wrong, but you won’t tell me. You won’t let me help you. But – but if you come with us, I promise-!”</p><p>“No. I’m going to keep travelling with Zuko.” Katara sighed as she watched Sokka struggle not to cry. “Please accept my decision.”</p><p>“But I don’t understand!” Sokka practically wailed, the first few tears streaking down his cheeks. “Why would you wanna stay with <em>him</em>?”</p><p>Katara paused for a moment as she considered Sokka’s question. It wasn’t about staying with Zuko specifically – it was about not being forced into the company of a group of people from whom she would have to hide her true self lest she be cast out, and in the process become more and more miserable. What sane person would voluntarily inflict that on themselves? But she couldn’t say that to Sokka without giving too much away, and Sokka had just proved he wasn’t ready to hear it. And he might never be, she realised. So instead, she decided to add a twist to the truth.</p><p>“Because Zuko doesn’t expect me to just change back someday,” Katara told him solemnly. “I’m not going to, Sokka, and I don’t think you understand that.”</p><p>Toph, who had continued to eavesdrop, stilled. She relayed to Zuko exactly what had just been said between the siblings. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”</p><p>“That’s not for me to say.”</p><p>“Fair enough,” Toph nodded. She could respect that.</p><p>“But you still haven’t told me what happened!” Sokka implored frantically. “Please, just <em>tell </em>me. I can-”</p><p>“Help?” Katara finished for him. She shook her head. She had hoped to be able to avoid an overemotional farewell when they parted ways, but she should have known Sokka was never going to allow that to happen. “There’s nothing you can do. I don’t think anyone can help me.” She paused, considering. “And, if I’m being honest, I don’t want them to. I’m okay with who I am now.” ‘Because even thought I can’t <em>feel </em>it, I know it was worth it because you’re alive’ was what she left unsaid. “Maybe I’m not the one with the problem. Have you considered that?”</p><p>They had both forgotten about Aang. “Are you okay with being this selfish?” he asked her icily.</p><p>“Aang!” Sokka yelped in horror. But Aang was determined to say his piece. He could see what this was doing to Sokka, even if Katara refused to.</p><p>He continued, “Sokka is <em>heartbroken</em>!” Aang said vehemently. “And you don’t even seem to care. It’s been really hard on all of us since you left. I still haven’t mastered waterbending, and-”</p><p>“That’s not my problem,” Katara retorted just as icily. “You’re the one who asked me to leave remember?”</p><p>“I was just angry and upset! I never thought you’d actually do it!” Although right now, Aang found himself very glad that she had. He knew it was spiteful to think, but he didn’t know how he would have handled being around her if she was just going to be like this. As much as it saddened him, a part of him was actually relieved that she had no intention of re-joining them. The girl in front of him wasn’t the girl he wanted back. He wanted <em>Katara</em>, not whoever this imposter was. All this imposter seemed to be good for was causing strife and reducing her lovable, goofy but brilliant brother to a weeping mess. It wrung Aang’s own heart to see him hurting so much – but Katara remained passive and stony-faced like it didn’t even <em>bother </em>her.</p><p>“Actions have consequences, Avatar,” Katara stated breezily. “Looks like I taught you something after all.”</p><p>“Are you seriously-”</p><p>Toph pulled herself away from the wall she had been propped against as Aang and Katara’s argument became more heated.</p><p>“I’d better go stop them coming to blows,” she sighed. Hotpants hadn’t moved since she’d found him, and she was satisfied that he had no intention of trying to harm Twinkletoes. It was time to intervene. It felt like Snoozles in particular was about to have a heart attack. She turned to Zuko and saluted. “It was oddly nice to meet you, Hotpants.” Zuko merely grunted in response.</p><p>“Aang, <em>shut up</em>!” Sokka yelled just as Toph reached them. She latched an arm around Aang and began pulling him away from the siblings.</p><p>“Come on, Twinkletoes, let’s let ‘em talk,” she said in a tone that brooked no room for argument. Aang let himself be pulled away without a fight, throwing one final dejected look at Katara. As much as he knew Toph was right, a small piece within him broke. It felt like he was giving up on Katara and he <em>hated </em>that thought. But Katara was gone. Aang could see that clearly now. Maybe the best thing for her was to be alone. Maybe that was the best thing for all of them…</p><p>“Katara, we’re your family,” Sokka insisted once they’d moved away. “Aang was out of line, don’t get me wrong, but families fight. That’s normal. That doesn’t mean we just quit on each other.”</p><p>“That’s not true,” Katara countered, to Sokka’s dismay. “Obviously, yes, you’re my family, Sokka, but that also doesn’t mean we have to be glued to each other if it’s not good for us. This isn’t working, for any of us. It was making me miserable and I don’t deserve that. You <em>can </em>see that, can’t you?”</p><p>“We were…making you miserable?” Sokka asked in such a soft voice that Katara strained to hear him. She sighed. He was about to lose the battle within him. She could see it on his face. She didn’t want him to start crying. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do if he cried. She could hug him, sure, but that had only seemed to make him more upset last time. “But…we…we love each other. You’re my sister.”</p><p>“Of course we do,” Katara nodded, though unsure of how much she believed her own words.</p><p>She <em>did </em>love Sokka, didn’t she? She had to. Even if she couldn’t feel it, there had to be something keeping her here with him now. Had it been anyone else, she would have just walked off and left him to it. “Look, Sokka…this is no different than if you had been old enough to leave with dad,” she pointed out in the most comforting voice she could muster. “You’re just going off to do your part for the war.” She could remember that it had stung quite a bit when their father had left them behind to fight. At that time, Sokka had been the stoic one, ready to take up the mantle as the man of the village, hunting for resources and protecting the elderly and children younger than him from the ravages of the war.</p><p>Katara etched what she hoped was a reassuring smile onto her face. “I was hoping I’d see you again, though,” she told him sincerely. She wrapped her arms around him. Sokka was very quick to return the gesture, and crushed her tightly against him, sniffing and fighting hard to hold back the sob that had lodged itself in his throat. “I’m glad I did.”</p><p>“Please come with us,” he begged again. He sounded tired. He had no fight left in him.</p><p>“No, Sokka,” Katara sighed, pulling away. As she had suspected, the hug had seemingly done nothing to help. But Sokka didn’t argue with her again. He nodded sadly, visibly wilting.</p><p>“Are you happy…now?” Sokka asked her hoarsely. “Can you at least tell me that?”</p><p>Katara thought for a moment. She remembered Zuko asking her that same question only a few days ago. She hadn’t been sure how to respond at the time. She still wasn’t. She doubted she would ever <em>feel </em>happy again. But right now, even without the mellowness, she was at peace. She was still keen to get to the south and see what other situations she might find herself in, ever chasing that intoxicating high. It was about the best she could expect, she believed.</p><p>“As much as I can be, I think,” she replied hesitantly. Sokka nodded, and then wrapped her back into a tight embrace. But this one was different. This was about saying goodbye. Katara was…she was still his sister. She would always be his sister. But the Katara he had grown up with was gone. And the Katara in front of him seemed to have no intention of trying to pave the way for the old Katara to come back. The Katara in front of him didn’t even want to be around him.</p><p>‘What happened?’ he found himself wondering desperately for the umpteenth time. He didn’t know. And he was beginning to fear he never would…</p><p>“Katara, I want you to know…we’re sticking with the plan you and I made at the fort,” Sokka told her. “We’re going to Ba Sing Se. I know you don’t want to be around us now but…if you ever change your mind, that’s where we’ll be.” Katara didn’t bother asking what she was supposed to do if she got there and found that they had already moved on. Both of them knew that this wasn’t an offer Katara was likely to take up. But that didn’t mean Sokka was done with her, like she seemed to be with him. He would fight for her. He <em>would </em>find out what had happened. He would tear the North Pole apart at the seams if that’s what it took to get the answer he sought. He just couldn’t right now, not with the war still raging all around the world. And then he would look for her, and <em>force </em>her to take the remedy if he had to. He wouldn’t stop until he had his baby sister back in his arms.</p><p>Sokka could only hope that if, <em>when</em>, he got Katara back, she would understand.</p><p>****</p><p>As soon as Sokka re-joined Aang and Toph, Katara turned and stalked back up the alley to where she had left Zuko. She could sense the stares of the trio following her, but felt no inclination to turn back. It was done.</p><p>“Katara,” she heard from her right. Zuko’s voice sounded full of surprise. “You’re still here.”</p><p>“So are you,” Katara pointed out obviously.</p><p>“I thought…” he began uncertainly. For once, Katara remarked, he wasn’t scowling. “I don’t know, I guess I thought you might want to leave with…well, with them.”</p><p>“I didn’t,” Katara told him curtly. She moved past him towards the ostrich-horses.</p><p>“Katara, are you…are you okay?”</p><p>‘Not according to them, I’m not,’ Katara thought. But outwardly, she only shrugged. She honestly wasn’t sure. Something was gnawing at her and she couldn’t figure out exactly what. And oh, how wearisome that could be. She also realised that she was physically exhausted. The fight had been deliciously, exhilaratingly tough. Ordinarily, she would be sailing in the clouds right now, but Sokka had seemingly managed to put paid to that.</p><p>“Do you…” Zuko continued, running a hand through his hair awkwardly. He had been given a glimpse into Katara’s conversation with her brother by the small earthbender, and it didn’t seem as though it had gone very well. The fact that she was still here told him that. Zuko knew it had nothing to do with him. But now he wasn’t sure where he stood. “Would you…do you want to be alone?”</p><p>Katara spun around and fixed him with a cold look. “You don’t want to travel with me anymore?”</p><p>“No!” Zuko burst out. That wasn’t what he’d meant at all. “I mean, yes…I mean…” he groaned and swiped a hand down his face. “I just meant…if you need some time to yourself, I can wait,” he offered. She had done that for him countless times, after all. “I have nowhere else to be.”</p><p>Katara’s expression softened, and to his relief, her lips even quirked up slightly. “That was…almost sweet,” she replied. “But no, I don’t. Let’s just go.” Zuko nodded wordlessly and walked alongside her back to the ostrich-horses. As when they had gone after Gow, Katara had insisted they tether them a small distance away so they wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire. Zuko was at this point unsure if it was just for practical reasons or if Katara was genuinely fond of the creatures, but either way, he agreed with her logic. They found them munching on the few tufts of grass that had managed to breach the tough, cracked earth beneath their feet. They both watched their masters curiously as they approached. As they clambered on, Katara looked across at Zuko. She noticed a pinkish tint colouring his cheeks. He looked almost endearing at that moment. She decided she couldn’t resist saying something. “You know,” she teased lightly. “You’re kinda cute when you get flustered.”</p><p>Zuko’s head shot up. He turned and scowled at her. “I am not <em>cute</em>,” he protested.</p><p>“You’re also cute when you pout.”</p><p>“I am <em>not pouting</em>!” He definitely was.</p><p>“We used to call you Prince Pouty,” she informed him casually as they began to trot off. “Or Prince Ponytail, but I guess we can’t call you that anymore…probably just as well.”</p><p>“What do you mean by that?” Zuko asked her accusingly.</p><p>“That old hairstyle of yours was <em>not </em>doing you any favours.”</p><p>“You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” Zuko groaned, but he wasn’t annoyed. Not really. This was just Katara bantering and joking around with him. He had grown used to it, and understood she wasn’t trying to be cruel.</p><p>“So you’ve told me,” she replied. “Lots of times, actually, so I’m not sure it counts as a comeback.”</p><p>“Water Tribe…weirdo.” Katara chuckled at that.</p><p>“Not very original but I’ll take it,” she smirked. “You’re getting better at this whole banter thing.”</p><p>“Shut up,” Zuko retorted half-heartedly, catching her expression. She looked a lot more relaxed than she had even a few moments ago. Zuko found himself strangely glad that she seemed to be feeling better…even if it was at his expense. And, like last time, he couldn’t help but return her smile.</p><p>****</p><p>Although Zuko wasn’t aware, Iroh had never left him. He had only appeared to let Zuko go alone on his new quest to find his own path and discover what kind of man he was. Iroh could respect that. It was a rite of passage that had been denied to Zuko as an outcast. Of course, if Zuko had wanted to emulate it aboard the ship, Iroh would have been more than happy to oblige. But his nephew had never brought it up, and Iroh had had no desire to drop a casual yet brutal reminder of the home and rituals that Zuko had lost by virtue of his father’s cruelty.</p><p>Indeed, Iroh had undertaken two such quests in his life. The first was when Iroh had been a spry sixteen-year-old Crown Prince, enjoying all of the benefits that came from being royalty – the finest silks, the best training masters the Fire Nation had to offer, and the bounties of beautiful noblewomen, some less virtuous than others, all vying for his attention. Part of it was because Iroh had been a very handsome, dashing young man. Part of it was because of the coveted, vacant crown of the future Fire Lady.</p><p>The second had been after the failed siege of Ba Sing Se. After his own son, Lu Ten, had fallen in battle. Iroh knew without a shadow of a doubt that it was the second quest that had mattered the most. He had emerged from it much calmer, much kinder and much more patient. Of course, compared to his younger brother, Iroh had always seemed a paragon of kindness and patience, despite all of the grief and terror Iroh knew he must have wrought on the Earth Kingdom during his formative years. It was hard not to be, such was Ozai’s temperament.</p><p>Iroh could fully understand Zuko’s wish to embark on such a journey. It was long overdue, after all, through no fault of Zuko’s. Iroh had meant it when he wished his nephew well, all while secretly hoping that Zuko would change his mind and return to him. They were better together, especially now that they were fugitives. But Iroh knew that Zuko had been in no state of mind to listen. Zuko rarely was, and given the tough hand life had unfairly dealt him, Iroh could hardly blame him. He had gotten that from his father, Iroh sometimes thought, but unlike Ozai, Zuko didn’t deliberately use his temper to carry out senseless acts of cruelty. Iroh had always been careful to steer Zuko away from that direction, no matter how tempting he knew it must have been for the poor boy to succumb to the frankly justified rage he felt towards everything. Had Iroh been in Zuko’s shoes, before the loss of his son, Iroh imagined he would have behaved in much the same way. No, Zuko <em>needed </em>this, Iroh knew. He would become a better and stronger man for it.</p><p>But that didn’t mean Zuko had to face all of his demons alone. Unbeknownst to Zuko, Iroh had tracked him and followed him from the moment he had disappeared from view astride their stolen ostrich-horse, leaving behind all of the other stolen trinkets that bedecked their cave. Had Iroh the time, he would have sought to return everything so that there was no harm done. But Zuko was more important, and he had had no choice but to leave them in place.</p><p>For weeks, wherever Zuko went, Iroh quietly trailed after him. He never got close enough for his nephew to even suspect he was being followed, let alone detect his uncle’s presence, but Iroh was always there. Even at night, as he watched his nephew stare vacantly into the crackling flames of his campfire, Iroh was there, right beside him. He couldn’t talk to him. He couldn’t reach out like he wanted to. But he was always there, in spirit. His physical form was never far away either, just in case. In case Zuko wanted him back, or fell into trouble.</p><p>The ability to perceive and walk the planes of the Spirit World was one of the many tough lessons Iroh had learned during his second quest. Iroh had never been more grateful for it than in those moments where he could be with his nephew in the only way Zuko would allow him. He had been there when Zuko had almost fallen to his death – twice – and both times Iroh had pulled back to his body far quicker than was really safe, only to be relieved that his help wasn’t necessary. He had been there when Zuko had stood up to the bully soldiers in the plains village, and could do no more than watch with disgust as the same villagers Zuko had sought to aid turned on him. He had been there when the young waterbender, Katara, had come across Zuko’s camp. He had shone with admiration for Zuko’s honour when he had insisted that he didn’t want to fight her, that they were no longer enemies. It meant Zuko had grown, and learned. He had beamed with pride when his normally prickly nephew then offered the same Katara company and comfort when that same village turned their backs on her. He had watched with growing curiosity and happiness as Zuko and Katara then stuck together for seemingly no reason save that they wanted the other’s companionship.</p><p>Iroh was even there when Zuko had faced Azula. He had been more careful to stay out of the way then – there was always a chance the Avatar might have seen him where others couldn’t, and the last thing that poor child needed was to be distracted as he was fighting for his life. It had taken every ounce of Iroh’s will and self-control not to go running in and support Zuko, a resolve which had almost shattered with the wall that his niece had furiously brought down. The only reason he hadn’t rushed straight to Zuko’s side was because Katara beat him to it. Iroh had listened as she checked that Zuko was okay, and asked if he could go on. She had backed him up the entire time. He had been at the entrance of the alley as Azula ran through his spiritual form, closely followed by Zuko and Katara. He had observed as Katara then calmly talked Zuko down from doing something very stupid, and to Iroh’s utter astonishment, Zuko had actually <em>listened</em> to her. And Iroh continued to observe now as Katara teased him lightly. Zuko didn’t snap at her. Rather, he seemed to be taking the good-natured jibes in his stride, and Iroh even saw the glimmer of a smile occasionally surfacing through Zuko’s typically sullen exterior.</p><p>It made Iroh glad he hadn’t gone charging in. Somehow, against immeasurable odds, the waterbender had managed to befriend his nephew, and Zuko, for once, wasn’t pushing that away. Iroh hadn’t been privy to all of their conversations. He tended to withdraw after a point, not wishing to violate Zuko’s privacy any more than necessary to check he was safe. Iroh didn’t know why Katara had left her old group behind, but it didn’t seem to bother her. His nephew and the waterbender had struck some kind of balance that worked for them. For all he had told the fascinating young earthbender about how much he missed Zuko, he was thrilled to see that Zuko no longer seemed to feel the need to do everything by himself. As much as it saddened him, Iroh suspected that his presence would only disturb that. So for now, he vowed only to keep observing in his spirit form.</p><p>But Zuko wasn’t the only worry that plagued Iroh’s mind. For while he had been tracking Zuko, Iroh himself had been tracked. Iroh sensed them the first time they had found his physical form whilst it was slumped in the deep meditative state required to walk the planes, and had all but yanked himself back. Following Zuko in this manner was all very well and good for Iroh’s peace of mind, but it wouldn’t help anyone if Iroh was killed by his enemies in the process. Fortunately for Iroh, the one who had found him wasn’t hostile. On the contrary, she had a message for him from the Order of the White Lotus. The young woman who had found him wasn’t herself a full initiate but the daughter of one, and she had borne what she hoped was appropriate reverence for the Grand Lotus, which Iroh had quickly dismissed as he poured her tea.</p><p>The message was simple, and one that Iroh would have been loath to ignore as long as he had, if not for his love for his nephew. It urged him to go to Ba Sing Se, a city already flooded with refugees. Who would notice one more? Iroh would be safe there, the note promised. As things stood, Iroh knew he shouldn’t really be walking around in the open. Fire Nation spies could be anywhere and everywhere, as well as money-hungry bounty hunters like the Rough Rhinos who wouldn’t hesitate to move in for the kill just because Iroh looked like a harmless, kindly old man. The other members were worried, the note said, for the welfare of their Grand Lotus. His place wasn’t wandering aimlessly around the Earth Kingdom, it was somewhere as far away and safe from the war as could currently be imagined. Objectively speaking, Iroh agreed with them. It would be much better for him to stay in one place so he could more easily be contacted, and issue orders and arrange movements where necessary.</p><p>But Iroh couldn’t in good conscience just leave Zuko behind while he marched to Ba Sing Se to seek shelter behind its walls. Not while Zuko was still out there and possibly in danger when Iroh wasn’t around to help. The White Lotus had thus far only acted on the side-lines during the war, offering assistance and strategies when they could without drawing attention to themselves. Although, with Sozin’s Comet arriving at the end of the summer, the world was fast approaching a pivotal point, and everyone in the White Lotus knew it. As the Grand Lotus, it was Iroh’s duty, really, to be there when they made their inevitable move. But as Iroh kept telling himself, the Comet was still months away. Nothing was imminent, so far as he was aware. He was confident that if it was, the Order would have contacted him again.</p><p>For a long time, Iroh failed to act on the message, all the while it gnawed at the back of his mind, and he continued to follow Zuko, and now Katara. Iroh was a very patient man. He would wait for either Zuko to find his way back to Iroh, or for Iroh to be satisfied that Zuko would be okay without him. Whichever came first and for as long as it took.</p><p>****</p><p>Zuko noticed the change in Katara’s demeanour as soon as they made camp for the night. Given that the sun had been setting when they left Tu Zin, they didn’t ride for very long before stopping. They had found themselves at the base of the mountains that ringed the southern Earth Kingdom, the same mountains they had meant to traverse to reach Gaoling. Zuko’s desire to go after Azula had taken them further than he realised, but if Katara cared about that, she wasn’t vocalising it. On the contrary, she wasn’t speaking much at all. Zuko was used to the silences between them as they travelled, but this was different. This wasn’t because Katara hated small talk and had nothing to say. Something was bothering her.</p><p>She walked downriver to practice her bending pretty much as soon as they had decided to stop without so much as a glance in Zuko’s direction, leaving him to set up camp. There wasn’t much that needed doing. Neither of them had tents, and there was plenty of kindling and firewood close by for Zuko to easily manage by himself. But all the same, it was unusual for them not to divide the tasks between them. Zuko didn’t mind, though. Katara had granted him a huge favour that day – going out of her way for <em>him </em>without any complaints, and backing him up throughout, even though the sight of her friends must have thrown her. Setting up camp was the least Zuko could do in recompense.</p><p>As Zuko used his bending to bring the water to the boil more quickly, Katara emerged from her practice. She marched up beside him, dropped a pair of freshly-caught fish on the ground, and stalked off again, all without a word. For a moment, Zuko just stared down at the fish blankly. He wasn’t ungrateful for the fresh meat, but he had no idea how to prepare them. He had never had to learn such things back home or aboard the ship, where all of his meals were taken care of for him. Was Zuko supposed to skin them? What about the skeletons and their guts? Did they need removing first, or could they eat around them? Zuko had only ever eaten fillets and had never before had to worry about such trifles. But this didn’t seem like the time to ask Katara for a cookery lesson, so he decided that the safest bet would be to take out the innards. Even if they turned out to be some bizarre delicacy for the Water Tribes, he figured that removing them would still be inoffensive.</p><p>He retrieved his prized dagger from his boot and took one of the fish into his hand. And paused. Now what? Was he supposed to cut the head off and just…<em>pull </em>them out?</p><p>“Cut them down the middle,” he heard Katara murmur with a note of impatience in her voice. She was now sat before the fire, occasionally flicking her gaze over to watch him. Zuko flipped the fish onto its back and followed her instructions, cleanly slicing the belly. He grimaced as he rooted around its carcass for the guts, organs and finally the spine. He tossed them carelessly onto the ground before grabbing another pan from their packs to begin frying them. His stomach rumbled as the mouthwatering aroma drifted up from the flames. He glanced over at Katara, but she was deep in thought and not paying attention to him anymore. He frowned. Setting up camp while she practiced was all very well and good, he realised, but it wasn’t enough. Not after what she had done for him today. He couldn’t have asked for a better battle partner, and she had even taken the time to check he wasn’t injured…the only other person Zuko could imagine doing that was his uncle. He had already resolved to cook dinner for them that night, but he needed to do more. He needed to make a gesture that made it clear how much he had appreciated her help…</p><p>Katara was indeed lost in her thoughts. Try as she might to forget, Sokka’s last words kept running through her head. ‘If you ever change your mind…’ he had said to her. He couldn’t possibly have known the true impact of his words, but to Katara’s chagrin, she found that they wouldn’t leave her alone. She couldn’t remember obsessing over something so trivial since the North Pole. Why was <em>this</em> grating on her so much? Was it because Sokka was her brother? That just seemed stupid.</p><p>She smiled wryly to herself. Sokka wanted her to come back if she “changed her mind”. ‘That’s nice and all, Sokka,’ she thought to herself, ‘but just how much will my mind have to change for you to be okay with it?’</p><p>It wasn’t just the fact that he was waiting for her to “change her mind”, it was the fact that until she did, she apparently wasn’t his sister anymore. She wasn’t <em>her </em>anymore, and Sokka missed <em>her</em>. She was too different to be <em>her</em>. He was right, of course, but still, Katara didn’t like it.</p><p>Katara knew she had been correct to never let Sokka in on what was really going on with her. At the North Pole, she had barely understood what was going on herself. Even those scrolls giving her condition, or at least a condition of her ilk, a name had been vague. She couldn’t have explained it to anyone even if she’d wanted to. And she certainly wouldn’t ever have told Sokka what had <em>really </em>caused his sudden and miraculous recovery whilst they were still at the North Pole, because Sokka would have had to go in and be the hero and make things all better for his baby sister even though it would most likely get him killed in the process. Her sacrifice would then have just been a total waste.</p><p>Once they had left the North Pole, there didn’t seem to be any point. Sokka was alive and that was all that had mattered. Telling him the truth would have achieved nothing except give both Sokka and the Avatar an excuse to waste more time. There was even less point when she reached the decision to leave them. They were no longer her problem by then, so why bother? They could get on with their lives and she could get on with hers. Katara truly was okay with who she was now. It had taken some getting used to but once she learned how to effectively use her newborn wiles to her benefit, rather than constantly feeling as though she had to suffocate herself, she made peace with her new reality. It was refreshing not to worry about people who had absolutely nothing to do with her like her old bleeding heart had used to (insofar as it didn’t affect her anyway). And though the highs could take a lot of chasing, spirits she had never known such bliss. And the <em>excitement </em>that coursed through her when danger was close by or a fight was imminent – Katara had never felt so alive. That alone made it worth it at times.</p><p>But then there was Sokka. He wasn’t absolutely nothing to do with her. Clearly he wasn’t, otherwise Katara wouldn’t be obsessing. As cold as she was, Sokka seemed to be an exception to her complete indifference to the world and the people in it. And for all that, all Sokka could see was the “baby sister” he had lost.</p><p>He hadn’t shown even the slightest interest in trying to get to know who she was now...</p><p>Katara brought her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She didn’t notice Zuko approaching her until he stooped down. “I made you tea,” he said softly, holding out a steaming cup.</p><p>“You don’t have anything stronger?” she sighed bitterly.</p><p>Zuko frowned. “I was just trying to be nice,” he huffed, standing back up. “But if you don’t want it-”</p><p>“I didn’t say that, did I?” Katara huffed back, taking the cup from his hands. She took a sip and sighed again. “Thank you.”</p><p>“No problem.” Zuko took a seat beside her and sipped from his own cup. “Do you…want to talk?”</p><p>“About what?”</p><p>“Well…what happened with your brother and the Avatar,” he clarified uncertainly. “I get the feeling it didn’t end well.”</p><p>Well, he wasn’t wrong there. The Avatar had been more concerned with her knife and fixating entirely on the wrong thing as usual, and her brother had confessed…after <em>everything </em>she had done for him and only him… She sighed internally. She didn’t want to run around in that fucking circle again. It was getting her nowhere and she was becoming as frustrated and irritable as if she were in the depths of the red haze.</p><p>Did Sokka <em>really</em> still love her? Did he even think she was still deserving of love? She didn’t know. She was beginning to seriously rue that Sokka was still important to her. Being able to sweep his immaterial feelings aside, as she would for anyone else, would make this much less taxing.</p><p>“Why do you care?” Katara whispered tiredly.</p><p>Katara would never be ‘normal’ again. She knew that already. But Sokka had managed to truly hammer that point in. Her not being ‘normal’ meant she had to hide her true self from almost everyone. Katara began to consider if a small part of her, perhaps the same part that housed that irritating little voice, had vainly hoped that her brother might be an exception. But he clearly wasn’t, and that should have been the end of it. So why was she still stewing?</p><p>“I couldn’t have…done what I did today without you,” Zuko finally replied after an age.</p><p>She lifted her head to look at him. He was by now staring into the flames himself. She wondered what <em>his </em>reaction would have been, were he her brother rather than Sokka. Zuko had done some pretty fucked up things himself, after all. He may not be exactly like her, but he was a firebender, and both spelt ‘inherent danger’ to the world at large. The difference was, prejudice against firebenders was kind of justified after a century of bloodshed at the Fire Nation’s behest. Katara didn’t know enough about the history of psychopaths, or even how many there had been like her, to be sure whether the prejudice against her kind was warranted in the same way.</p><p>“My uncle would say it would help,” Zuko continued. “He always tried to get me to talk.”</p><p>“Did you?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“And yet you expect me to?”</p><p>Zuko shrugged and replied tersely, “I just thought you might want to.” He was doing his best here, he thought sulkily. She could show a little gratitude. But as he took a sip of tea, he quickly reminded himself that she was upset. Her…mood or whatever was going on with her wasn’t aimed at him, it was aimed at her brother. Zuko was no stranger to lashing out at disappointing siblings.</p><p>Katara sat up straight and regarded him curiously. She and Zuko had ceased being hostile days ago, but he was being almost disconcertingly friendly at the moment. There was no trademark scowl and he seemed to be trying to…cheer her up? Maybe? Why? “Do you really want to know?” she asked. “Because it’s not something most people are ready to hear.”</p><p>“Well…you’re not a ruthless serial killer, are you?”</p><p>Katara barked out a mirthless laugh at that. How ironic. Though Katara had never taken a life (to her knowledge), most of the world seemed to think she practically had to have, being who she was. That stereotype was one of the main reasons that the prescribed “treatment” for psychopaths in the North Pole was being taken out onto the tundra and left for dead. Better to risk murdering an innocent person than risk letting a crazed psychopath run rampant through “civilised” society...and yet the psychopaths were the feared ones. It made absolutely no sense to Katara, but she reflected that it was rather in keeping with their insular, backwards attitudes towards a lot of aspects in life.</p><p>“I wasn’t last time I checked,” Katara remarked drily.</p><p>“Then I think I’ll be fine,” Zuko assured her. “If it’ll help, I don’t mind listening.”</p><p>“How gallant.” She hummed, toying with the idea. Should she tell him? But why? It would serve no purpose. Zuko would be just as incapable of “helping” as anyone else. Not that Katara wanted that kind of help.</p><p>Her previous speculation of how Zuko might react if he knew the truth drifted back into her mind. Katara had never told anyone. The closest she had come to admitting it had been with Huu in the Foggy Swamp, but even then she had never said the words, painting her sudden interest in so-called dry fever as mere curiosity. She neither knew nor cared what suspicions Huu may have had after their conversation. Why should she? She was never going to see him again and, by all accounts, the swampbenders were the only ones who considered psychopaths to still be people worthy and deserving of a place in the Tribe. If ever there was a place to confess, the Foggy Swamp was it.</p><p>But she had to give Zuko his credit. They had been travelling together for a few days, during which time Katara had made no effort to blend and appear ‘normal’, and Zuko had remained entirely unfazed. It was like she’d thought earlier, Zuko himself had done plenty of fucked up things. She couldn’t fully examine how fucked up Zuko himself was, but innocent he was not.</p><p>“I have always wondered how someone would react,” she mused casually, nodding and sticking out her lower lip in contemplation. This would be a fairly safe place, too. She had no particular feelings about Zuko other than that he was a surprisingly decent travel companion. Sure, she liked him in the same way she had liked Oli, but she confidently assessed that she also wouldn’t really care if he reacted with horror. If Zuko’s horror was anything like his sulking, she imagined she would just find it funny. The thought alone brought a smirk to her face.</p><p>Or if he decided to fight her, Katara decided she would fucking let him. It was night, <em>her </em>time to shine, and there was a very convenient source of water nearby. She could floor him easily. No, there was no danger, at all. The only question that remained was whether or not she wanted to.</p><p>She kind of did, she realised. There was an almost irresistible impulse, a fatal curiosity, to see what kind of chaos her confession might sow. If Zuko fought her, it could be a lot of fun. And if he didn’t, well…that had the potential to be fascinating in and of itself. If nothing else, it certainly wouldn’t be a dull evening. And it may just help her forget her brother.</p><p>‘Screw it,’ she determined. ‘I want to see what happens.’</p><p>“Well, you’re not wrong, Zuko, seeing Sokka again wasn’t as great as it could have been,” Katara began without warning. Zuko quickly looked up from the flames and then at her, to show he was listening. “I’m not the same person that I was when we left the South Pole. And Sokka…hasn’t handled it well.” She waited to see if Zuko would interject, but he remained silent. “He said that he misses me,” she sighed, “because I’m so different that I’m not his sister anymore.”</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Zuko said softly. It was a reflex more than anything. He wasn’t too sure what he <em>could </em>say to that. But he had told her he would listen, and he would.</p><p>“Eeh, he’s kinda right,” Katara said blithely. “I’m not, but still, it’s not a great feeling. Well, actually ‘feeling’ is a pretty bad word for it,” she considered aloud. “For me anyway.”</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“Come on, you’ve spent enough time with me,” Katara goaded. “You must know I’m not like most people.”</p><p>“I hadn’t really noticed,” he shrugged nonchalantly. Katara eyed him curiously.</p><p>“I think that says more about you than me.”</p><p>“Probably,” Zuko chuckled darkly. But something Katara had said resonated with him. Deeply. Something he could understand all too well…but he quickly suppressed the thought. This was about Katara right now, he reminded himself. Not him. He would let her finish without any interruptions or getting bogged down by his own troubles. He wasn’t sure how much he was helping her, but he didn’t seem to be making it worse at least.</p><p>As Zuko waited patiently for her to finish her story, Katara arrived a crossroads in her mind. She quickly weighed her options. She could absolutely change course if she wanted to. It wouldn’t be at all difficult to take the left fork and just make up a lie on the spot. It wasn’t too late.</p><p>But Katara <em>didn’t</em> want to. She <em>wanted </em>to take the right fork, and tell the truth. Just to see if she was right. She noted that even now she had no fear. She had no particular expectations as to how Zuko responded. She was just curious. Zuko had had a very remarkable talent for arousing her curiosity since Ganhan. And unlike Sokka, Zuko hadn’t balked at anything she had done so far. Deep within, she felt ready to reveal this, the darkest secret that she had ever harboured, to him.</p><p>Resolved, Katara looked up at her companion and took a deep breath.</p><p>“I’m a psychopath, Zuko.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>As usual, so many thanks and so much gratitude to everyone who commented, bookmarked and left kudos! I say this every time, but you guys are awesome.</p><p>Just a quick note about Katara telling Zuko - I know it may seem like it came out of nowhere, and in a way it did. One of the primary characteristics of psychopaths is impulsiveness, and given how fascinating she already finds Zuko, I don't think she would be able to resist an opportunity to see how he would react when he practically handed it to her on a silver platter. Katara isn't deliberately trying to get a rise out of Zuko, she's just overcome by, well, a fatal curiosity. Only time (and Chapter 11) will tell how Zuko responds...</p><p>I'm hoping to have Chapter 11 up before the New Year. I get most of the Christmas break off from work, so there's a decent chance! But I'm sure you'll all agree, quality is better than timing, so I'll just have to see how it pans out. Until next time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Deeds of Questionable Ethics</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Zuko reflects, a lot, and reaches a conclusion about Katara.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Guys, I won't lie to you...I REALLY struggled with this chapter. I found it very hard to get the tone right and work out exactly how it was going to go. I think it's at its best incarnation, which is why I'm posting it, but I'm also not entirely happy with it. Hopefully that's just because my brain is fried from obsessing over this for nearly two weeks.</p><p>This chapter is a little different. It's shorter than my usual chapters (for this story, anyway) and is told 90% from Zuko's POV.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Resolved, Katara looked up at her companion and took a deep breath.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m a psychopath, Zuko.”</em>
</p><p>****</p><p>After the words had left Katara’s lips, it was a very long time before either of them spoke again. Or at least, that was how it seemed.</p><p>Zuko, for his part, wasn’t afraid to admit to himself that he was at a total loss. Katara had just shared something with him, something very important to her and that could get her in a lot of trouble, he suspected, if anyone else found out. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had entrusted him with such a deep secret. Or with any secret, now that he thought about it. Sure, he and his mother had shared some light-hearted ‘secret spots’ in the garden or dotted throughout the Palace, places where his mother and only his mother knew where to find him. She was the only one he had trusted. They were the spots he’d run away to, to hide from his father and his temper, or Azula and her “games”. Even if she knew where he’d run to, his mother would dutifully check each and every crevice until it became a game of their own, and by the time she found him and whisked him into her arms, Zuko had always felt better.</p><p>He missed her, too.</p><p>Zuko shook himself. Now was not the time to wallow pitifully in memories. As pointless as that already was, this wasn’t about him. This was about Katara, and he forced himself to focus.</p><p>Although, he wasn’t sure what was expected of him now. What was the ‘normal’ way to react? Katara was a psychopath…what was he supposed to say to that? What did Katara want him to say? Was he supposed to comfort her, and tell her it would all be okay? He didn’t think he would be any good at that, and he suspected Katara would find him severely lacking if he tried. Was it better to remain silent? To ignore it, even? No, that couldn’t be right.</p><p>Katara was watching him, he knew. He could see her unwavering gaze from the corner of his right eye. She had a blank expression on her face, but he could tell she was expecting some sort of reaction from him. But what? What did she want?</p><p>He needed to think. He needed to get away, just for a moment. How was he supposed to <em>think </em>with Katara just staring at him like that?</p><p>“I…I should go check on the fish,” he rasped and quickly stood up to return to the pan. He pointedly turned his back to Katara, though it did little good. Although he could no longer <em>see </em>her gaze boring into him like an oversized drill, he could still feel it.</p><p>It was unnerving. He had never liked having all eyes on him, being watched. It reminded him too much of when his father had used to observe his and Azula’s firebending training. Zuko swore that his performance, while never as good as Azula’s, always seemed to worsen when he knew his father was watching. When he knew his father disapproved of his lack of mastery and shaky progress. When he knew that if he could only be <em>better</em>, his father would be proud of Zuko and tell Zuko he loved him. He had tried to brace himself for it, multiple times. He had requested extra tutoring from his masters; he had invited both his mother and his uncle, when he visited, to observe just to try and help him get used to being watched. But nothing worked. The moment he could feel his father’s steely gaze on him, Zuko froze up and seemed to forget everything he had been taught. His body had betrayed him every…single…time.</p><p>Spirits, it was no wonder the man had despaired of him at times.</p><p>The smell of light burning snapped Zuko from his thoughts and brought him back to the present. He hastily grabbed a stick and flipped the fish over. He took a deep breath. This wasn’t like his father watching his firebending, he told himself. Katara wasn’t staring at Zuko because she was judging him. Indeed, she seemed to be the one <em>awaiting</em> judgement. But Zuko still had no clue what he was supposed to do.</p><p>It wasn’t the first time Zuko had heard the term psychopath. He would willingly admit that he was in no way intimately acquainted with the subject, however. He wasn’t even entirely sure what being a psychopath…meant. For both the afflicted person and the people around them.</p><p>Was it an affliction even? Did Katara feel as though she was “afflicted”? He briefly considered asking her, but held his tongue. Was that a rude question to ask? Not that Zuko had paid much heed to whether or not he was being rude around Katara before. She hardly seemed to care at any rate. When he had been chasing her and her friends across the world, he imagined it wasn’t his rudeness that had bothered her. And now, when he was visibly frustrated and making no effort to rein it in, she tended to ignore his moodiness and leave him to work through it in peace. Zuko preferred it that way. He had too often snapped at his uncle for just trying to help and coax him to talk. Now that his uncle was no longer around, he regretted it. He didn’t want to repeat the same mistake with Katara. With his ally.</p><p>She <em>was </em>still his ally, wasn’t she? Her telling him didn’t change things between them, did it? Would she still even want to travel with him? He suspected that if he fucked this up, the answer would be a resounding ‘no’.</p><p>This wasn’t the time to risk upsetting her, even unintentionally. Perhaps Katara didn’t believe that she was “afflicted”, but Zuko asking her implied that <em>he </em>did. He didn’t want her to think that.</p><p>Not that Zuko knew what to think. He had heard stories about psychopaths. It wasn’t a topic that had come up regularly during his travels, but when they did, they almost all told the same tale. Psychopaths had no compassion. Psychopaths were cold and calculating. Psychopaths were completely devoid of feeling and emotion – barely human. Psychopaths barely knew how to even <em>function </em>in civilised society because of it. And woe betide anyone unfortunate enough to get in their way because psychopaths could and would kill without a second thought or an ounce of remorse. Anyone who crossed the shadow of a psychopath should prepare themselves for immense suffering, for those who did survive the encounters never broke free unscathed.</p><p>That was what Zuko had heard on the rare occasions the various merchants’ gossip fell to such a dark subject. At the time, Zuko hadn’t paid all that much attention. Unless the conversation was about capturing the Avatar or mooting another method to regain his honour enough that his father may consider pardoning him, Zuko simply hadn’t been interested. It didn’t help that the merchants liked to spread rather toweringly tall tales which always conveniently happened to someone who knew someone. The stories had dimly reminded him of the Kemurikage, demon-spirits that snatched naughty children from their beds and slaughtered any adults who tried to intervene or were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. A cautionary tale, meant to strike fear and a compulsion for obedience into the hearts of children, lest they be the next ones to be carried off.</p><p>Zuko had happened to mention that to his uncle once, on a rare occasion when he had been feeling light and sociable enough to take up Iroh’s offer of a quiet evening of tea and Pai Sho. It had only been a passing mention for Zuko. But Iroh, to Zuko’s surprise, had looked up at him sombrely, and informed Zuko in no uncertain terms that whilst not all the stories told about them were real, psychopaths themselves very much were. Psychopaths were very much flesh-and-blood humans, and they very much walked amongst them. Not all of them were dangerous, but some of them very much could be. But because he was Iroh, his uncle had then suggested that there was nothing that couldn’t be solved with tea and he saw no reason why psychopaths should be excluded from that. That was when Zuko had groaned at his crazy uncle’s endless crazy antics and stopped listening.</p><p>At this moment, Zuko was beginning to deeply rue being so dismissive. Although it wasn’t lost on him that he had also unwittingly taken Iroh’s advice by offering Katara tea. Despite the solemnity of the situation, a ghost of a smile crept onto Zuko’s face at the thought.</p><p>“They look good,” Katara said softly right into his ear.</p><p>“Fuck!” Zuko yelped in shock. The flames suddenly shot up into a pillar of searing heat and both of them stepped cautiously away. The fire burned intensely, completely covering both the pan and the pot as Zuko tried to calm himself down from his very-near <em>heart attack </em>because Katara apparently moved like a fucking <em>spirit</em>.</p><p>His eyes were blazing, Katara noticed. Was it because of what she’d said? Was he experiencing a delayed reaction? She really couldn’t tell. “Do I scare you?” she asked.</p><p>“Just…don’t do that!” he snapped irritably. Katara raised her hands in mock-surrender and stepped slowly backwards, never taking her eyes off him.</p><p>Once the flames receded, Zuko risked a glimpse at the pan and sighed. The fish, which had taken on a healthy golden colour before being unexpectedly broiled, had been reduced to a blackened mess and were now no more than ashy lumps of charcoal resting at the bottom of the pan. The rice, fortunately, had survived the encounter, coated as it was in water, although that had mostly burned off now. He removed it from the heat and sighed again.</p><p>“I guess we’re just having rice tonight,” he muttered, annoyed with himself. Fuck. He didn’t know how difficult it had been for Katara to reel in her catch, but with one reckless move, he had destroyed completely destroyed her efforts. If he had just kept a <em>hold </em>of himself…</p><p>“I could get more fish?” Katara offered.</p><p>Zuko shook his head. It was his fault. If he had had better control of his bending, their meal would have been fine. It wasn’t fair to send her back upstream in the dark to rectify <em>his </em>mistake. He just hoped she wasn’t pissed with him. “Don’t worry about it,” he grunted. They still had some jerky besides. He and Katara had taken to ripping up the strips and mixing it in with the rice to boost the flavour somewhat. It was still a very plain, very dull meal by Fire Nation standards, but it was food and Katara had never complained. Plus, Zuko knew well what it was like to go without. Now.</p><p>He looked up at Katara and noticed she hadn’t moved from her spot. Of course she hadn’t, Zuko berated himself. He’d <em>snapped </em>at her. Viciously and in her face. She hadn’t deserved that. Why did he always make things worse? “I only meant don’t sneak up on me,” he told her. “You don’t have to keep your distance.”</p><p>Katara raised her eyebrows in surprise. “I don’t?” Her only response was another shake of Zuko’s head before he began ladling the rice into their bowls.</p><p>Katara continued to throw glimpses at Zuko as they ate, an action of which Zuko was acutely aware. He knew he should say something. Anything, at this stage, was better than the awkward silence that stretched out uncomfortably between them. Katara had just told him a secret about herself, something extremely personal and private…and Zuko’s first reaction had been to walk away. He’d needed time to think instead of going through his usual charade of just blasting in and assuming it would work out in his favour eventually. But how had Katara perceived it?</p><p>Did she know about the stories? Had she heard the stuff they spouted about her kind? Did they bother her?</p><p>Zuko found that it didn’t bother him, not as much as it probably should, given the legends surrounding psychopaths. But that was all they were – myths, legends. As far as Zuko was aware, he’d never met one before Katara. He had no real idea just what it meant to be a psychopath. Part of him was gripped in a morbid fascination to find out, but the other part didn’t want to pry.</p><p>But he had to say <em>something</em>.</p><p>“Katara,” he began uncertainly. She looked up from her bowl at him. “I…” he sighed at himself. “I’m sorry but…I don’t know what you expect from me.”</p><p>Katara slowly cocked her head to the side, curious. Her eyes ran up and down Zuko’s form, searching for signs of…aggression? Fear? Excitement, even? But none of that was present. Rather, Zuko was watching her just as impassively. Just as calmly.</p><p>“Neither do I,” she conceded quietly. “You’re the first person I’ve ever told.”</p><p>That threw Zuko somewhat. Katara had never shared this with anyone before? Just how long had she been like this? Why was she sharing it now? Why was she entrusting <em>him </em>with this secret…?</p><p>“You haven’t even told your brother?”</p><p>Katara shook her head, still regarding him curiously. “Sokka doesn’t know, about any of it,” she confirmed. “He noticed I was different, of course, but he doesn’t know exactly what’s going on. Not that he was ready to hear it anyway,” she added, a note of bitterness lacing her words.</p><p>Zuko had noticed Katara was different too, he recalled. When she had first come to his camp, he’d noticed it then. But since that night, he hadn’t thought much about it. Whether she was fighting capably at his side or teasing him relentlessly, he had always assumed Katara was just being Katara. He had barely known her before, after all. But perhaps she hadn’t always been like that, if her brother had remarked on the difference. And if that was true, that meant she hadn’t been a psychopath all of her life. It was something that had happened to her. Recently, by the sounds of it. She had said she’d left her friends because travelling with them had made her miserable. Was this why?</p><p>As the memory of their first meeting after the North Pole drifted into his mind, he was struck by a jarring thought. It didn’t make sense…<em>none </em>of it made sense. Zuko suspected that the stories told about psychopaths had been embellished for dramatic effect, if they weren’t outright falsehoods, but surely there had to be a grain of truth in there somewhere. They were all too alike not to be, and all from different parts of the vast Earth Kingdom. United though this massive country may be under the rule of the Earth King, there were always at least subtle cultural distinctions between the regions. Though the citizens and soldiers of the Earth Kingdom fell under one banner, they were most definitively <em>not </em>one homogenous people. What were the chances, then, that each culture and people had just happened to dream up the same tales?</p><p>But even taking all of that into account, Katara didn’t seem to match the unvarying descriptions of a psychopath. At all, from what Zuko had observed. Her behaviour was a bit strange at times, but so was Zuko’s. She had never done anything that might give him pause for thought, even now as he looked back with this knowledge in hand.</p><p>Katara had always been somewhat of a thorn to those who had threatened the ones she loved. Before the North Pole, Zuko had proudly played their battles down as a mere nuisance. But their fight at the Spirit Oasis had been no joke. Had the sun not risen at the exact moment Zuko needed it to, he harboured little doubt that that would have been the end of his journey. Not by Katara’s hand necessarily, but he harboured even less doubt that the Water Tribe would have executed him.</p><p>As far as Zuko could see, Katara was no more or no less dangerous simply for being a psychopath. Her bending was much stronger, but that was because she had found a master to teach her at the North Pole. That didn’t even factor into it.</p><p>Despite choosing bounty hunting for her profession, and Zuko imagined his own bounty would reap a very generous reward, Katara hadn’t once attempted to capture him and turn him in. If that was her ultimate intention, it made no sense for her to string him along for as long as they had been together, so it seemed that she was sticking to her word from when she had assured Zuko she wasn’t going to. She could have done it on the first night she found him, he would have been so easily defeated…but she hadn’t even tried. She had listened and respected his wish not to fight, though clearly disappointed.</p><p>In Ganhan, she could have just stood back and let the soldiers do what they wanted, but she had instead <em>defended </em>him. After everything he had done…she had still made some sort of decision that he was worth helping. And though it hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things, she had also kept her promise to give him half of her earnings from bringing Gow in, even sought him out to do so. How easy it would have been for her to just disappear with the money, Zuko thought. But she hadn’t.</p><p>And then there had been the fight with Azula. Zuko had already been aware of Katara’s fierce prowess as a warrior, but he hadn’t known just what an excellent and dependable partner she could be in combat. True, they had fought Gow from the same side twice by that point, but it hadn’t been the same. The first time, Zuko had gone charging in with indignant rage at the man’s utter lack of honour after Katara was down, and Zuko still felt that he had been next to useless when they had hunted him. The fight with Azula was the only one where Zuko felt he and Katara had really fought <em>together</em>, and Zuko had to admit, he had almost enjoyed it, having her at his side. Having someone he could count on and trust (other than his uncle, of course).</p><p>Zuko suspected Katara had had her own reasons for wanting to take on his sister, but that didn’t matter. Katara had supported him, unflinchingly and unhesitatingly. As remarkable a battle partner as she had been, however, what had made Zuko truly grateful to have her around was when she had checked if he was injured. If all she’d been invested in was taking down Azula, why would she have done that?</p><p>So, no, Zuko concluded, it didn’t make sense. Either the entire Earth Kingdom had been grossly misinformed (which, to be fair, Zuko could easily believe given their attitude towards firebenders and the war as a whole) or Katara had some kind of malicious trick up her sleeve.</p><p>Zuko didn’t want to believe the second one.</p><p>“If you don’t mind me asking,” he began after another age had passed, “what makes you think you are…uh, one?”</p><p>“It’s the only thing that fits,” Katara replied slowly.</p><p>“Fits what?”</p><p>“I found some scrolls about psychopaths in the North Pole written by healers, and…” she shrugged nonchalantly, “…well, let’s just say that if I hadn’t known better, I would have assumed they were about me personally.”</p><p>Zuko nodded. He still wasn’t entirely convinced himself, but he didn’t disbelieve that Katara believed it. And if she had found actual medical scrolls that seemed to confirm her suspicions, Zuko was willing to accept her belief. He supposed that what those scrolls proved, along with Katara herself, was just how much pig-bullshit had been weaved into those stupid stories…</p><p>“Why aren’t you attacking me?” Katara asked him out of the blue. Zuko, she couldn’t fail to observe, was being remarkably calm about the situation. Eerily calm. Uncharacteristically calm… Did he not understand what it meant or did he just not care?</p><p>Zuko looked shocked and confused by her question. “Why…why would I attack you?” While once he wouldn’t have batted an eye at the thought, the prospect of returning to hostilities with Katara now left a bitter taste in his mouth. He would defend himself if that’s what it came to, but he truly didn’t want it to. Katara was…he didn’t know what Katara was. He just knew that his feelings about her had changed over the course of their time together. She wasn’t just a companion of convenience. Zuko didn’t see the point in that. He was fine on his own, just as he knew she would be. He had stayed with her because he...he liked her company. She didn’t make him feel like he had to put on a façade for fear of disappointing her. She seemed perfectly content to just let him…be. Let him be himself, even if that did mean he spent most of the time scowling (although he was certain that Katara had been winding him up when she’d said that). He earnestly thought of Katara as his ally, a belief which had only been cemented that day. He didn’t know what he was to Katara, if she regarded him in the same manner, but as long as she wasn’t being cruel, like Azula, or actively fighting him, he wasn’t too bothered. Katara wasn’t the sort of person to hang around someone she didn’t like just for the sake of being polite. No, she was too brash and to the point for that, like Zuko himself. If she didn’t want to be around him, Katara wouldn’t be around him.</p><p>“Isn’t that what you’re supposed to do?” Katara frowned.</p><p>“I don’t give a shit what I’m supposed to do,” Zuko retorted firmly. “Unless you attack me first, I’m not going to do that.” He frowned. “Why would you just assume I’d turn on you?” ‘Am I really that bad of an ally?’ he left unsaid. ‘That bad of a person?’ He hoped that wasn’t how Katara saw him. He knew he could be a grumpy, surly bastard (with good reason!) but Katara had always been fine with just letting him do what he needed to, safe in the knowledge that he was free to return to her once he had taken some time to himself. She reminded him of his uncle in a way…and in the same way, Zuko realised he had failed to show her much gratitude for it.</p><p>Perhaps it was time that changed…</p><p>“I don’t know,” she said. “I imagine it’s what most people would do.”</p><p>“Yeah, well, I’m sure it hasn’t escaped your notice, but I’m not most people,” he pointed out.</p><p>“I could tell,” she assured him, not unkindly. “You’re…you’re a little like me, I think.” She watched to see if he would react to that, but he showed no signs of being perturbed by the comparison. “You’re certainly not like everyone else,” she clarified. “I mean, I’m not judging you, but you’ve done some, uh, kinda fucked up things since I’ve known you.”</p><p>Zuko fought the urge to scowl, but the battle was short-lived and easily won. “I prefer deeds of questionable ethics,” he retorted sulkily.</p><p>Katara blinked, uncertain if she had heard Zuko correctly. Had he…had he just made a joke? Maybe? That wasn’t like him at all. Katara actually <em>liked</em> Zuko, which was a very rare occurrence, but she certainly didn’t keep him around for his upbeat, positive energy (though now that she thought about it, that would probably make him as unbearable to be around as the Avatar). Of course, there was always the chance that Zuko was being deadly serious…which she decided would only amuse her even more.</p><p>“Did you just tell a joke, firebender?” she smirked.</p><p>“No. I don’t do jokes.”</p><p>Katara snorted and couldn’t help but chuckle at him. It sounded genuine. Zuko <em>had </em>been serious, though he couldn’t say he was bemused that Katara found it funny. She rather inexplicably tended to find most things he did amusing. ‘Well, at least she’s laughing,’ Zuko thought. He seemed to have managed to not screw this up so far.</p><p>“Katara, can I…is it okay if I ask you a question?”</p><p>“It is,” Katara nodded. “But I’m afraid you just used it up.” Zuko scowled at her in mild irritation, as she knew he would. But Zuko also knew she was only teasing…or, he hoped. He decided to proceed. If Katara didn’t want to answer him, she wouldn’t and Zuko wouldn’t pressure her.</p><p>“What I was going to ask,” he began, looking at her pointedly and noting that she still wore a smirk, “is what makes you think that you are?” Katara frowned and opened her mouth to protest, but Zuko continued before she could utter a word. “I know. You said it’s the only thing that fits but…what fits?” He shook himself. He didn’t think that had made much sense at all. “What I mean is, what is it about you that fits the…uh…?”</p><p>“Description?” Katara offered. Zuko nodded in response. “You know,” Katara mused out loud, “that’s a really interesting question.” And not at all how she had expected this conversation to go. She already knew Zuko wasn’t easily fazed. Since they had run into each other, at least, the only time she had seen him come close to losing control was when he had punched Gow. On her behalf, she remembered, smiling internally at the memory. That really had given her a thrill to witness Zuko’s rather…evocative handling of the situation. Watching Gow brought to his knees, in every sense of the word, had been satisfying enough, but watching <em>Zuko</em>…spirits, that had been delicious.</p><p>Yes, it was true that Zuko wasn’t easily fazed. Katara hadn’t been at all coy about being brash or at times cold. It hadn’t even been intentional. She wasn’t trying to test him, she was just being herself. And yet, she couldn’t think of a single time he had ever called her behaviour into question. He might have been too afraid to, but if that were true, he wouldn’t still be travelling with her. If he were afraid now, he either wouldn’t still be here or they would be fighting. Instead, he seemed curious more than anything.</p><p>But of course, her confession had barely learned to walk. There was still time, she thought. Zuko didn’t yet know the half of it.</p><p>“Are you sure you want to know?” she asked.</p><p>“You asked me that already,” Zuko reminded her. “I mean…I’ve heard stories, but Katara, you are <em>nothing </em>like that.”</p><p>“What have you heard?” she asked, intrigued.</p><p>“I…I’m not sure if-” Zuko stuttered uncertainly.</p><p>“Not flattering, huh?”</p><p>“No,” Zuko told her bluntly. He sighed. He shouldn’t have asked her. It was none of his business. He was about to tell her so, but Katara surprised him by answering.</p><p>“I used to be…kind of a butterfly-moth to a flame when people were suffering,” she confessed. She frowned as she pondered the implications of what she had just said. “Oh, that sounds worse than now…” She shrugged and turned back to Zuko. “What I mean is, I was the kind of person who swore I would ‘never turn my back on people who needed me’,” she told him in a mocking voice full of disdain. She sometimes couldn’t believe how much time and energy she had spent worrying about things she didn’t need to. She was much freer now, that was certain. “But now, I…don’t care anymore.” She paused, thinking. “I mean, I’ve gotten involved when I haven’t needed to before,” she continued, “but that’s because it sounded like fun or I got paid. Not because I gave a shit. I can appreciate that must sound awful and selfish but, like I said, I just don’t care.”</p><p>“What about when you helped me?” Zuko pointed out.</p><p>“Oh…yeah I guess that does count, doesn’t it?” she mused. She had helped him twice. And she hadn’t had to, on either occasion. It would have been so easy to just let him be arrested, or just let him sort himself out after Azula had blown up the wall. Granted, the first time she had had an ulterior motive, but it also wasn’t lost on her that if she had wanted a conversation with Zuko badly enough, she would have figured out a way, bars or no bars. Ultimately it just hadn’t sat right with her and she had made the decision not to stand for it. The second time – she didn’t honestly know. She had just done it without thinking. She supposed she had just wanted to be as good a battle partner for Zuko as he had been for her.</p><p>Outwardly, Zuko once again only nodded. But he didn’t think it was that big a deal. Perhaps it was to Katara, but not wanting to dash to the rescue of every downtrodden peasant who had fallen on hard luck didn’t make her a monster. It wasn’t strange to look after only your own kith and kin without worrying about everyone else. If anything, this placed Katara more in alignment with the rest of the world and its inhabitants. Zuko had experienced the kindness of strangers before, but they were the exception, not the rule. If anything, it had almost irked Zuko that some people were so open and so trusting. It made them unnecessarily vulnerable to predators and scum who would only seek to take advantage of them and their unwarranted generosity. Like Song, he remembered…Zuko himself had been the scum in that instance. He believed he had done what was necessary – he and his uncle had been exhausted and desperate, and Zuko had chosen the comfort of him and his over what was ‘right’. Even his uncle hadn’t put up that much of a fight.</p><p>Katara, though – despite what she’d just told him, he knew that Katara had <em>earned </em>her ostrich-horse and her money. She had come by everything she owned honestly. He wondered if she would have resorted to stealing if she had become desperate enough. Probably, he reasoned, if she was as indifferent as she claimed to be. But so what? The world was not equal, not everyone had the same riches. The fortunate had what they had, and the needy and desperate (though Zuko <em>loathed </em>having to be lumped among their number now) stole from them. It was its own twisted balance, in a way.</p><p>That was all Zuko had been trying to do in capturing the Avatar – restoring the balance to his own broken life. Zuko had lost his honour but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take it back, and he was willing to do whatever was necessary. It didn’t matter that the Avatar was only a child. He was the key to restoring and keeping balance, was he not? Why shouldn’t that have applied to Zuko too? When he had donned his Blue Spirit persona to free the Avatar from Zhao’s clutches, he knew full well it hadn’t been an act of altruism. His primary concern, his <em>only </em>concern, had been to ensure that it was he, Zuko, who returned to the Fire Nation with the Avatar, not Zhao. His banishment would never have ended if he had let Zhao present the Avatar to his father.</p><p>Not that it had done him any good, in the end. Perhaps, Zuko reflected, it would have been better for him if he had just let Zhao have his way. Zuko still couldn’t return home, and his hopes of ever doing so were just as dashed as if Zhao had taken the Avatar to the Fire Nation. Zuko’s situation was actually worse now. At least before, Fire Nation soldiers only had orders to hunt and kill him if he set foot on Fire Nation soil or sailed into Fire Nation waters. Now, it didn’t matter where he was. Zuko couldn’t afford to be spotted by anyone from his home country again… Fucking Azula! It had been her to place the bounty on his head, he was sure of it. She was the reason. <em>She </em>was the reason he had no chance of returning home. And Zuko honestly hated her for it.</p><p>But thanks in no small part to Katara, Zuko had had a win today. His <em>first </em>win against Azula. Katara had even been the one to help him see it, he realised.</p><p>It occurred to him that this young woman, who was growing more impressive to Zuko with each passing day, had helped him an awful lot… Perhaps her being a psychopath was less important than she believed. It might mean she was different to how she used to be, but so what? That didn’t instantly make her evil. People changed. <em>Zuko </em>had changed immeasurably during his eighteen years. For the better, he believed. He was much stronger than he once had been. Though, disappointingly, he was still prone to failing to meet his family’s expectations…from all sides. That must have been what had happened with Katara and her brother. By being different, she had somehow failed to meet <em>his </em>expectations. And then her brother had rejected her for it-</p><p>Oh Agni…! This was why Katara had told Zuko her truth. She had even fucking <em>said </em>as much, how had been so blind?! She was…she was like him. For all of her confidence and pride, Katara was lonely.</p><p>His chest suddenly compressed as a heavy weight settled over him, just on the edge of painful. It was a moment of cold clarity, the truth breaking over him like an icy, bitterly cold wave. He suddenly saw now. He saw <em>her</em>. ‘She just wants someone to understand her,’ he realised. Zuko knew what that was like only too well. He knew what all of it was like only too well. He had to do something. He had to say something. She needed to know that she wasn’t alone. Spirits, she had done <em>so </em>much for him…</p><p>Resolved, and feeling strangely confident, Zuko turned to his ally. Because she <em>was </em>still his ally, he decided. As long as she wanted to be. “Katara,” he began. “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way but it’s not that big a deal. Lots of people don’t give a shit about anyone except themselves and their family.”</p><p>“Hmm…yeah, I think you’re right about that,” Katara agreed, “but it’s a little more complicated than that. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with who I am now. I just know it’s not who I used to be. Still…I also know that the reason for it was worth it.”</p><p>So, she accepted herself at least. That was something. Zuko found himself oddly glad for her that she had made her peace with it.</p><p>“What happened to you?” he blurted out without thinking. He groaned at himself. “Sorry,” he muttered. “You don’t have to answer that.”</p><p>“It’s not an unreasonable question.”</p><p>“You still don’t have to answer.”</p><p>Katara turned to him, a bemused smirk on her face. “I’m well aware,” she commented drily. “I wouldn’t answer if I didn’t want to. But since you asked…my brother, I guess.” It wasn’t Sokka’s fault, per se, but Sokka was the reason Katara was like this. She didn’t blame him, nor hold any resentment against him. She had freely made the choice.</p><p>Zuko, on the other hand, was horrified and angrily burst out, “What did he do?!”</p><p>“Nothing that you need to punch him for, don’t worry.” She shot him a dark smile. It was hardly Sokka’s fault that he had been dying, after all.</p><p>“I think I’d like to punch him anyway,” Zuko cursed under his breath.</p><p>“Why?” Katara asked, perplexed.</p><p>Because her brother hadn’t understood her. Hadn’t even tried by the sounds of it. Katara had told Zuko that her brother didn’t even know the full truth, and yet he had still decided that she was too “different” to still be his sister. Frustration and anger born out of his newfound understanding for the woman beside him, for his <em>ally</em>, simmered in Zuko’s stomach. He unconsciously clenched his fists in indignation. Zuko was utterly disgusted with the Water Tribesman. Zuko couldn’t say for certain what had happened, but for him to cast her out so cruelly…</p><p>Katara, for her part, noticed Zuko’s fists tightening. And she knew what that meant. Clenched fists were pretty much a universal sign of aggression, no matter who she was dealing with. Katara didn’t need to be particularly good at reading people to be able to gauge that. She frowned – what had she said to set him off?</p><p>“What’s <em>your</em> problem?” she asked bluntly.</p><p>“I don’t have a problem!” he growled, glaring at her. She stared blankly back at him and calmly pointed to his fists, which looked as though they were beginning to smoke. Looking down, Zuko quickly unfurled them. “Fuck,” he sighed. “Sorry, it’s not you, I just…I <em>hate </em>what he said to you,” Zuko spat out venomously.</p><p>“Who, Sokka?” Zuko nodded, still agitated. “Why do <em>you </em>care?”</p><p>“Because…he was wrong,” Zuko told her resolutely. He took a few deep breaths in an effort to calm himself down before continuing. “He shouldn’t have…he shouldn’t have done that to you.” He paused, unsure, but quickly decided to carry on. “I know what it’s like,” he admitted.</p><p>“Oh…” Katara was unsure what to do with that. It seemed like the conventional thing would be to allow him to talk instead if he wanted. Well, why not? This conversation had not in any way, shape or form gone how Katara had expected. At this point, she was happy to follow the flow to its end and see where she landed. “Uh, do you…wanna talk about that, or-”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“…okay.”</p><p>Zuko sighed. Loudly. By now, Katara knew what that meant. It meant that Zuko, for whatever reason, was debating with himself what he was about to say but he would say it anyway. It usually meant he was either going to disclose a secret or admit something he was embarrassed about. Fascinating as she generally found Zuko, she was intrigued to see which it would be this time.</p><p>“Katara, I want you to know, I don’t care that you’re a psychopath,” Zuko said quickly. Then he groaned. Oh fuck, that hadn’t sounded right. “I mean…it doesn’t matter…I mean…” He groaned at himself again. Katara waited patiently for him to sort through his thoughts, not interrupting.</p><p>“My opinion of you…hasn’t changed,” Zuko enunciated, as if seeing how each word sounded in his mouth before letting it out. “I…I imagine if you were going to kill me, you would have done it a long time ago.”</p><p>Katara frowned in confusion. “When did we start talking about me killing you?”</p><p>“We didn’t,” Zuko assured her. “It’s just…those stupid fucking stories.”</p><p>“Oh.” Katara couldn’t say she was surprised. About the stories anyway. Zuko, on the other hand…</p><p>“I don’t believe them, for what it’s worth,” Zuko added hastily.</p><p>“It’s okay,” she shrugged. “And you’re right. If I had any intention of killing you – which, for the record, I do not – you wouldn’t have lasted this long.”</p><p>“Good to know,” Zuko retorted drily. They both chuckled darkly at that. “Look, my point is, it doesn’t bother me. You’ve done a lot for me, Katara,” Zuko told her. “And I…I trust you.”</p><p>Katara started, taken aback. Her eyes widened in shock. What Zuko had just said…he <em>trusted </em>her? It didn’t bother him? How was that even possible?</p><p>“Do you…really mean that, Zuko?”</p><p>Zuko did, and he nodded. How could he not? Katara was eerily, almost tragically, similar to Zuko. The only difference between him and Katara, that he could see, was that her “condition”, for lack of a better word, had a name, albeit one with a dark stigma attached to it. But that wasn’t what Zuko saw when he looked at Katara. He saw someone who had been forced to accept a massive upheaval in her life. He saw someone grappling with what she knew about herself versus what the world said about her and her kind. He saw someone who possessed an incredible raw power; someone who could be very, very dangerous if she wanted to be… And what was her chosen profession? Bounty hunting. He could understand the urge, the will to exercise the frustration and uncertainty that must pervade her. Rather than taking it out on all and sundry, like Zuko had done, she had chosen a path that meant only those who were deserving of punishment bore her wrath. That wasn’t unreasonable, or anything to fear, as far as Zuko was concerned. It was actually a rather honourable course.</p><p>It was possible that not all psychopaths would show so much honour and consideration. There might well be those who were just as remorseless and violent and cruel as the stories depicted. But Zuko didn’t care about them. He cared about Katara. ‘Not that I <em>care </em>about <em>her</em>,’ Zuko corrected himself quickly. It was just that it was only Katara that mattered…Katara’s <em>condition </em>that mattered…no, what Katara’s condition meant…to her.</p><p>Zuko was right now very relieved that mindreading was not among a psychopath’s known skillset.</p><p>“Huh…I was <em>not </em>expecting that,” Katara whispered, sounding strangely vulnerable. The most vulnerable Zuko thought she had ever been around him. He was glad, in a way. If she was as much like him as he suspected…this meant she must trust him too. “You know, Zuko, for what’s it’s worth – coming from a psychopath anyway – I’m glad I found you.”</p><p>“Really?” Zuko sounded genuinely amazed by that. He didn’t think he’d been very pleasant to be around at all.</p><p>As if she had read his mind, Katara nodded and continued, “You might be surprised to learn this, but you’re not bad company, firebender.”</p><p>“That’s news to me,” he commented drily. Katara snorted in amusement, and even Zuko managed a low chuckle. He had to admit, this was <em>not </em>how he would ever have foreseen the evening going but…he had no issue with how it had turned out. He felt strangely flattered that Katara had outed herself to him. The more he thought about it, the more he realised just of how little consequence Katara’s confession was to him. It didn’t matter to him what it might make her capable of. It didn’t matter to him how dangerous she could be. As far as Zuko could see, anyone and everyone – even the irritatingly peppy little Avatar – was capable of dark and dangerous deeds. Zuko himself was capable of being much more lethal if he had chosen to be. If he had chosen to, he could have ensured his blasts went for the kill, not merely to stun. But he hadn’t chosen that path. And neither had Katara. What people were <em>capable </em>of was academic, ultimately not important. What was important was what they actually <em>did</em>. And Zuko took no issue with anything Katara had done. Being a psychopath hadn’t stopped her from being his ally and fighting staunchly at his side when he had needed her support.</p><p>Maybe…she might even be his friend…</p><p>He sighed. He was getting ahead of himself. They probably only had a week or so before they would go their separate ways. They had no reason to stick together once Katara found some work to keep her occupied. Zuko was still unsure as to what exactly <em>he </em>would do, but he would figure something out. He still liked the idea of bringing the Blue Spirit out to play. He would probably have to exercise some more caution now that he knew Katara would be running around seeking bounties, however – otherwise it would only be a matter of time before <em>he </em>made his way onto her list, and the irony of that was almost too painful to think about.</p><p>“I’m glad you found me, too,” he eventually told her, his right cheek flushing slightly. Embarrassed, he avidly avoided meeting her gaze, but he could tell her eyes were on him. He found he didn't mind it.</p><p>‘Is he for real?’ Katara couldn’t help but think sceptically. But one look at Zuko told her that he was sincere. He was being honest. He had no problem with her. He…he accepted her.</p><p>It was oddly affecting to know that not everyone squirmed and recoiled once they knew about her true nature. And Katara, somehow, against all odds, had managed to find one of the few that didn’t. It was…something.</p><p>And if Katara was being brutally honest, it wasn’t something that she wanted to let go of anytime soon.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Hi everyone. Like I said, I really struggled with this one. I may well go back and revise it again in the future, but for now, I'm ready to move on and get back in to the story proper. Now that Zuko knows the truth, well...you'll see in the fullness of time ;)</p><p>Thank you so, SO much to everyone who commented. I'm sorry I fell off the radar for a bit there. I promise I will go through and reply to each and every one of your wonderful comments (it's midnight here so that's a tomorrow job) but I haven't forgotten about any of you and I really love and appreciate the fact that you all took the time put your thoughts into words. It means a lot :)</p><p>It's difficult to say when the next update will be but rest assured, no matter how difficult this chapter was, I am NOT done with this story.</p><p>Happy holidays everybody! Stay safe, and here's hoping 2021 gets its act together!</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Fragile Rapport</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Katara takes on another job en route to Gaoling, and Zuko isn't happy about that; but as Katara begins her work, she discovers that she is being stalked by an unknown pursuer...</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I know I usually save the thanks for the end, but I had such an amazing response to Chapter 11 that I'm going to put it here - thank you so, SO much for all your wonderful comments and kudos, and thanks to those who have bookmarked the fic. I know I say this every time, but it really means a lot to me.</p><p>This is a long-ass chapter (again). I could have split it into two and left you all with a heck of a cliffhanger...but that's not really my style. I want to keep the story moving, and I don't think this is as long as Chapter 8.</p><p>Warning: There is some violence in this chapter, as well as one reference to rape/non-con</p><p>Enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After their detour to Tu Zin, it took about a week or so for Zuko and Katara to come across their first village since leaving Ganhan. They had passed a few farmsteads scattered across the valley the day before, and both had concluded that it would only be a matter of time before they reached the “hub”, as it were. As they rode past, a few workers lifted their heads and watched them curiously, seemingly unused to the spectacle of travellers. Zuko immediately took to scowling back at them before Katara pointed out that if the locals weren’t already suspicious of them, they certainly would be if Zuko kept glaring at them for no reason.</p><p>“They stared at me first,” he huffed, hating how childish he sounded, but it was the truth. Katara merely rolled her eyes at him in response.</p><p>As it was, the two of them looked completely unremarkable, dressed as they were in standard peasant Earth Kingdom garb. Though they were still deep in the heart of the mountains, Katara determined it would be better for both of them to remain anonymous. The war may not have reached this tiny, insignificant corner of the Earth Kingdom, but it was still extremely unlikely that they would welcome a firebender, let alone the Fire Nation Prince, into their midst with open arms. Although Zuko agreed with Katara’s logic, the concept made him recoil. Zuko was now somewhat used to concealing his bending, but that didn’t stop him from being incredibly resentful about it. To his mind, it was as much a part of him as his hated scar. Unfairly, <em>that </em>part of him was openly on display for all to see, no matter how much he longed to cover his mark of shame. But his craft, a part of him he was actually proud of and had spent years painstakingly honing, was all but taboo in this part of the world. And thanks to his stupid, fucking sister, he couldn’t even go to the one place where firebending didn’t inspire fear and revulsion. It was just one more thing that had been taken away from him, and it made Zuko seethe.</p><p>Zuko had come to appreciate his companion more and more as the days passed, however. Whenever they stopped for the night, she never had any qualms about him wanting to run through his forms, sometimes just to feel the energy pulsing through him, to know that he was still capable. Uncle had frequently urged him to exercise caution while they were on the run together. He never outright forbade it, but he always dropped hints and advice that it wasn’t worth the risk, alone as they were in enemy territory. On some level, Zuko had known he was right, but the trouble was, <em>everywhere </em>constituted as enemy territory. So he had argued and lashed out because what else was he supposed to do, just <em>never </em>firebend again? He wasn’t prepared to accept that.</p><p>In contrast, Katara let him practice as much as he liked. She had even told him that it wouldn’t bother her if he was spotted because they could easily take on whoever it might be. <em>They</em>, Zuko had noted. It had been heartening to know that even though it would be his own fault, Katara wouldn’t just leave him to deal with any witnesses who got the wrong idea by himself. It had left him with a strange, not unpleasant feeling of warmth pooling in his stomach. A strange feeling of, dare he say it, <em>hope </em>that just maybe, things might work out, if he could only lay his tiles right…</p><p>That feeling didn’t last long. After passing the first farmstead the previous day, his mood took a considerably sour turn for seemingly no reason, and he had resorted to riding behind Katara so that he wouldn’t bother her. To make matters worse, he couldn’t shake the familiar coil of frustration that had twisted itself around him for the rest of their journey towards the village. He didn’t fathom what could possibly have brought it on this time, at first. He worked it out after listening to Katara innocently mention it would be worth her asking around the village to see if there was any work to be found rather than just stocking up and carrying on. Although he wouldn’t admit it, Zuko’s heart sank slightly at her words. If she did find work…where did that leave him? He still wasn’t sure what to <em>do</em> now that his destiny had been ripped out from under him. He had avoided thinking about it.</p><p>Before his banishment, a lot of decisions in Zuko’s life had been made <em>for</em> him. As Crown Prince, there were duties to fulfil, lessons to learn and skills to master, all of which had to be befitting of his rank and title, so Zuko had never had much choice in where he went or what he did. Which was fine – he had wanted to do what was necessary to prepare himself as much as possible for when he would eventually reign as Fire Lord. But then he was cast out, and it had all amounted to nothing. Technically, he had been the captain of his granted vessel, but it wasn’t until he reached majority at sixteen that his uncle had stepped aside and allowed Zuko to take up the mantle. Even then, any decisions he made were in service of only one specific purpose – finding and capturing the Avatar. And it hadn’t exactly been his choice to spend five years of his life on what had turned out to be an entirely fruitless endeavour.</p><p>But now, Zuko was free for the first time to decide what he wanted to make of his life without the weight of other people’s expectations on him…and he was at a complete loss. So much so that part of him longed for the days when he had had his mission. For all that it had frustrated him and as insurmountable as it had seemed at the time, he now knew that everything had been so much simpler then. He had had guaranteed food and shelter each night, his uncle had been there to guide him and he’d had a clear purpose. It grated on him that he had spent too much time being angry at the world to appreciate any of it at the time…but he had made sure to not make the same mistake with Katara. He knew that once he was alone again...he would miss her. If Zuko was being honest, he wanted to stay with Katara, if that were a realistic option. Not only was she a reliable ally, he realised that he had genuinely grown fond of her and her companionship. It still didn’t matter to him that she was a psychopath. He liked her for who she was – her mind just happened to work more darkly than he would have anticipated from her before. That didn’t bother Zuko in the slightest. If anything, it made it easier for him to relate to her. He accepted her completely…and he felt as though she accepted <em>him</em>. That alone was enough to make him want to stay with her.</p><p>But, he knew he probably wouldn’t get to, and he couldn’t allow himself to hope either. Life had repeatedly taught him over the years that having hope never did him any good. But as much as Zuko’s own mind counselled him against it, Zuko couldn’t help himself. A tiny, barely noticeable spark had ignited within him, and as he thought about Katara, he allowed it to feed…</p><p>****</p><p>As they neared the small collection of stone buildings that Katara presumed marked the village, she glanced over at Zuko and noticed that his face was still etched into a scowl. She rolled her eyes, but didn’t say anything. There would be very little point. Zuko’s bad mood had started the day before, and had only been getting steadily fouler and fouler the closer they had gotten to the village. She had no idea what this place could possibly have done to offend him, but of course, perhaps it was just Zuko being Zuko. They had attracted stares from almost every farm they’d passed, and she had come to learn that he<em> loathed </em>feeling as though he were being watched. No matter how innocuous the observer, being watched just made him grumpy. She had found that out when he’d caught her watching him run through his forms one evening and he’d almost shot a fireball at her in shock. Upon realising this quirk of his, Katara had drily offered to attack him, reasoning that he didn’t seem to give a damn about having eyes on him when he was in the middle of a fight. Zuko had promptly called her a pain in the ass and reluctantly agreed she could observe as long as she kept quiet. Katara had faithfully obeyed his terms, all the while smirking at his sulkiness…and perhaps enjoying watching him bend his element a little bit <em>too </em>much, but that was by the by.</p><p>While Katara understood that about Zuko, she reasoned that being stared at was hardly worth glowering at the very air around them, so she knew there was likely something else bothering him. Of course, she also knew that the chances of him vocalising what was pissing him off, unless it was forced out of him were very slim. As they had got to know each other better, though, Zuko <em>had</em> begun opening up in small increments – sharing trivial tidbits about his childhood when his uncle had visited, anecdotes about his uncle on the boat, and lamenting his uncle’s nonsense proverbs (he was <em>very </em>fond of his uncle). Katara didn’t mind those occasions. It reminded her of when Oli had used to share gossip with her in Ganhan. They were small moments – not of <em>joy</em>, necessarily, but moments where Zuko wasn’t so angst-ridden or pouty – that Zuko seemed to allow himself around Katara, and she was perfectly content to be a part of that. In many ways, she still found him fascinating, or at least intriguing enough that she hadn’t become bored with him.</p><p>Indeed, the red haze had been kept almost startlingly at bay, even though it had been a week since her last fight. It helped that she hadn’t been physically idle for any of that time. Travelling wasn’t exactly <em>interesting</em>, but it was tiresome, and her bones and muscles were usually weary when she climbed into her bedroll each night, so she wasn’t too surprised that she had yet to become bored and restless despite very little of interest having happened since Tu Zin. It had been the same when she’d been travelling alone. After splitting off from the Avatar, Katara had learned that it wasn’t necessarily stillness that perturbed her, but rather the fact that she had been constantly surrounded by others. People were extraordinarily capable of putting Katara in a bad mood and exacerbating the red haze when she was ensnared in its clutches. She realised now that that must have been why she had held so much contempt for Aang. She still believed it had been necessary, what with how relaxed he was about being the supposed saviour of the world, but she could nonetheless appreciate she hadn’t exactly been nice to the boy.</p><p>As much as she may not <em>want </em>it to, she had presumed that eventually the same fate would befall her companionship with the prickly firebender. They had been together for almost two weeks now, theoretically more than enough time to drive her to distraction and compel her to make sharp, biting comments just to see her target wither before her. Yet none of the usual disdain or loathing had crept in. She had remained perfectly placid, despite having had hardly a moment away from Zuko as they travelled. Winding him up didn’t count, she didn’t think – it was all in jest, and he understood that. Besides, he made it <em>so </em>easy, it was his own fault.</p><p>She wondered if the lack of disdain or hostility had to do with Zuko knowing the full, ugly truth about her. After all, as soon as Zuko told her that it didn’t bother him, Katara’s first thought <em>had</em> been that she wouldn’t want to let someone like him go. Even now that the moment had long passed and she had had time to reflect on it, she still didn’t. She hadn’t said as much, but it was telling that even after all this time together, she still liked being around him and, if she was being honest, she would prefer to stay with him (at least until boredom <em>did </em>set in). That in itself was astonishing. Perhaps it was her mind’s way of appreciating Zuko for his acceptance of her. He <em>was </em>the only person she had ever overtly shared her secret with. She had wanted to see first-hand how someone might react and, all told, Zuko had reacted rather brilliantly. He had willingly remained her companion and seemed to take no issue with her. At the end of the day, Zuko wouldn’t stick around if he didn’t want to, which meant there had to be at least a part of him that liked being around her despite her condition.</p><p>Since becoming like this, Zuko was the only person that Katara had ever actively wanted around. Not because he had something she needed…but just because he was him. Which was again not something that Katara would have expected. She would have expected the red haze to come blasting through and destroy the fragile rapport she had built up with him. The Avatar had been her best friend, by all accounts, and yet she hadn’t thought twice about tearing him down when he became too annoying for her to deal with. But, she supposed, perhaps that was the crucial difference between the Avatar and Zuko – no matter how much he grumbled or scowled, Zuko just didn’t annoy her. She couldn’t put her finger on why, but she also didn’t dwell on it for too long because ultimately, the why of it didn’t matter. What mattered was the effect it had, and this particular effect was that she didn’t mind Zuko’s presence. At all. Even without the ‘benefits’ that had kept her with Paik for so long, Katara hadn’t tired of him. On the contrary, she actually enjoyed his company. It helped that she liked him, but she had also liked Oli and couldn’t imagine she wouldn’t have found him irritating by now.</p><p>To be fair, Zuko had a lot going for him when she thought about it. He was an excellent partner to have in battle – he was strong, a fierce fighter and could be readily counted upon. Katara had also had a <em>lot </em>of fun when she and Zuko fought side by side. Working in tandem with him was oddly satisfying, as it turned out. Again, this was nothing Katara would have anticipated. She hadn’t even been sure if she was capable of working with someone so fluidly, but she could with Zuko.</p><p>Another, not insignificant, mark in Zuko’s favour was that he was <em>very</em> attractive. Katara didn’t often delve into fantasy, but she had unashamedly envisaged more than once how an intimate encounter with Zuko might go, and each time the thought thrilled her. It wasn’t just his physical appearance, though that certainly helped whet her appetite. Zuko possessed that rare but enthralling underlying menace, that throbbing power which he only unleashed when he chose to, and that dark promise that he could be very, very dangerous if you crossed him. It was utterly intoxicating… Katara had known with certainty that if she ever encountered a man like that, she would be helpless to resist. And fucking <em>spirits</em>, she would be raring to go if Zuko ever made a move on her. Unfortunately for Katara, he hadn’t, but she decided that was okay. Zuko had value outside of merely being someone she wanted to fuck – that was just the glittering frost atop the glacier – and she liked him besides.</p><p>Because Zuko accepted Katara for who she was. It was bizarre, but ever since she had told him that she was a psychopath, Zuko had seemed more relaxed around her. Or at least as relaxed as Zuko could be. Katara, for her part, was certainly more at ease. She hadn’t concealed the harsher parts of her personality with Zuko at any point, but now that he knew, it was just different. He had shown an interest in getting to know who she was <em>now</em>, where her own brother had balked, instead lamenting the loss of his “baby sister.”</p><p>Not to mention, Zuko did entertain her, albeit unintentionally – that probably wasn’t too important in the grand scheme of things, but it counted for something. She remembered with a smirk just how displeased Zuko had looked when she’d told him about Sokka’s pet name for him. His vehement denial of it had tickled her enough that she had taken to goading him with it whenever he was having a particularly scowly day:</p><p>“What’s your problem, Prince Pouty?” she would tease.</p><p>“Stop calling me that!” he would bristle.</p><p>“Stop pouting then,” she would retort, sniggering. For how much he refuted it, he did a very good job of living up to his nickname. To Katara’s amusement, Zuko had begun throwing grass at her in retaliation, which only made her chuckle more. It was all in good spirits. And certainly pleased her ostrich-horse – the bits that didn’t land on Katara had an incredible talent for ending up in the creature’s mouth.</p><p>Zuko was still glaring into the distance as they rode into the village, though Katara had by now ceased paying attention, lost in her thoughts. She pulled her ostrich-horse to a stop beside a hitching post and hopped off. Zuko wordlessly followed suit, and continued to remain wordless as they began to explore the “village”, though Katara was beginning to realise that was a generous term for it. The place was absolutely minuscule, barely larger than the cluster of igloos that had passed for her village in the South Pole. She quickly assessed that she was very unlikely to find any work here. There didn’t even seem to be any basic amenities, save for a well in the centre. She doubted if there would be a tavern, and indeed the only hint of commerce was a lone merchant stand attached to a plain, grey stone building at the far end of the street. Still, as long as the merchant could supply food, one was plenty. Katara moved off towards it, but it quickly became clear as she approached that it was deserted.</p><p>In fact, the entire village seemed to be utterly devoid of life. Had the buildings not looked so clean and well-maintained, she would assume it was abandoned. There had been farmhands working the fields they’d passed, so she supposed it was possible most of the populace was simply employed by the farmsteads. Although, none of them had looked wealthy enough to be able to afford to pay for labour, and what were the chances that every last man, woman and child who called this place home were farmhands? The notion was absurd. So where was everyone?</p><p>Katara was about to get her answer, however, for almost as soon as she and Zuko reached the stand, they spied movement from within the attached building. A pale-faced middle-aged man peeked out at them from behind a ragged, green blind, and his eyes widened in fear as Katara and Zuko met his gaze. The two exchanged frowns as the blind dropped, but before they had time to discuss it, the door to the building opened and the man stepped timidly out.</p><p>“We – we don’t want any trouble,” he stuttered. “Just…take what you want and go.”</p><p>Katara raised her eyebrows curiously. Both she and Zuko were dressed in plain brown and grey peasant apparel – completely unremarkable and completely, so Katara believed, unthreatening. But the man shook like a greenleaf just at the sight of them, and was nervously hovering in the threshold of his home, as if he might need to make a quick escape from the danger that Katara and Zuko apparently represented. It didn’t take a genius to work out something was clearly up with him – but Katara didn’t care to enquire. She had only approached the stand to see about stocking up their food supply. A village of this size didn’t seem worth her time beyond that.</p><p>Katara instead arranged her expression into one of meek politeness, and one that she hoped made her appear kind and approachable. “We’re just travellers looking to buy food,” she explained to the man gently. “Would you be able to help with that?”</p><p>The man blinked. “Why should I believe you? We – we don’t get many travellers this way. Please, just…leave.”</p><p>“I don’t want any trouble either,” Katara assured the man. She glanced at Zuko as if to prove her point, and sighed when she noticed that he had failed to wipe his infamous scowl off his face. Well, that certainly wasn’t helping matters. She turned back to the man and smiled reassuringly at him. “Don’t take any notice of him – he just gets grouchy when he’s hungry.” She could sense Zuko glaring daggers at her for her remark behind her back, and resisted the urge to smirk. “Please,” she said sweetly. “We’re just trying to get to Gaoling and we’ve run out of supplies. Can you help us?”</p><p>“You don’t want to be travelling on this road, miss. It’s not safe.”</p><p> “Why?” she queried innocently. “We’ve not had any issues so far, have we?” She turned to Zuko and gestured for him to answer. He sighed.</p><p>“No,” was all he offered sullenly in response.</p><p>‘Seriously, Zuko?’ She’d known he wasn’t exactly a people person, but this was just abysmal.</p><p>“Take my word for it, miss,” the man replied. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll turn around. You should be all right if you just go back the way you came. I’m sorry, I wish I could do more to help.” With that, the man stepped back through the door and slammed it shut. Katara also heard a lock click loudly, followed by footsteps hurriedly shuffling away.</p><p>“I guess he doesn’t want to do business with us,” she commented drily to no-one in particular.</p><p>Zuko, on the other hand, wasted no time in rounding on Katara as soon as the man was out of sight.</p><p>“I get grouchy when I’m hungry?” he accused. Katara shrugged.</p><p>“Don’t blame me, you’re the one who was glaring at the guy like you wanted to kill him.”</p><p>Zuko scowled at her. “You are such a pain in the ass!” he groaned.</p><p>“You’re just saying that because you know I’m right,” she teased. Zuko’s scowl deepened. Katara smirked. “Not gonna throw grass at me this time?”</p><p>“It could be arranged,” he muttered sulkily.</p><p>“I’m very sure that it could,” Katara replied, letting out a small laugh. “Well, this place is a bust. Shall we keep moving?”</p><p>“We may as well.” Though he tried to act as if he didn’t care either way, Zuko couldn’t help but feel secretly glad. This was so far, so good. It was annoying they hadn’t been able to stock up, but they still had enough to get by comfortably for a while. The merchant had been utterly useless from where he was standing, but at least if no-one was around to talk to, then that meant that Katara-</p><p>“Wan, get back here!” a woman suddenly cried from a house on the opposite end of the path. A small child who looked to be aged about eight came running up to them, brandishing a loaf of bread.</p><p>“Excuse me, miss?” the child called Wan said politely to Katara. “I heard you say you were hungry. Here, please take this.” He offered her the bread, beaming and looking overall very proud of himself. Katara exchanged a look with Zuko. She wasn’t at all above accepting what was offered whether she deserved it or not…but she quickly sensed that it might be more trouble than it was worth when the child’s mother began marching determinedly up to the three of them.</p><p>“Wan, leave these people alone!” she said fiercely.</p><p>“But they’re hungry, mama,” Wan protested.</p><p>“And you’re going to bed hungry if you don’t come back inside this instant!” his mother snapped.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Zuko spoke up, sounding surprisingly gentle. “He wasn’t bothering us.”</p><p>“See?” Wan retorted to his mother smugly.</p><p>At her wit’s end, the woman grabbed her son by the elbow. “Get-in-the-house!” she hissed in a tone that brooked no room for argument. Wan grumbled under his breath, but finally did as he was told and shuffled back towards the modest cottage, still holding onto the loaf of bread. The woman breathed a sigh of relief when she saw him close the door behind him, and turned fretfully back to Katara and Zuko.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” she muttered in a harried voice. “I told him to mind his own, but he’s just a child! Please… don’t do anything to him!”</p><p>Zuko frowned in confusion and was about to ask what the woman meant, but Katara beat him to it.</p><p>“Why would we?!” Katara asked, pretending to be startled.</p><p>“You’re…you’re not…?” Before them, the woman’s face suddenly crumpled, and she looked as though she was about to start crying openly in the middle of the street.</p><p>“Oh, honey, you’re shaking,” Katara said, loading her voice with forged sympathy.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” the woman repeated thickly. “I don’t know what you must think, but…you have no idea what it’s like…I – I thought you were someone else, and…”</p><p>‘Huh, that’s interesting,’ Katara thought to herself. The man had said something along that vein, about not travelling this road because it was ‘dangerous’... Katara considered that perhaps this village wasn’t a total waste. If she was understanding the situation correctly, it sounded very much like there was someone out there with the power to render seemingly the entire village quivering in their homes. And that someone <em>could</em> be of great interest to Katara – for the right price, of course. </p><p>“Hey,” Katara said soothingly. “I’m a bounty hunter. Why don’t you tell me all about it and maybe I can help?”</p><p>“You – you are?” the woman sniffed. She warily looked Katara up and down, seeming puzzled even in her distress. “But…you’re so young...”</p><p>“That just means I’m faster,” Katara assured her confidently.</p><p>That seemed to be all the persuading the woman needed. She nodded gratefully at Katara and offered, “Would you like to come in for tea?” Katara presented her with the kindest smile she could muster in response, and nodded.</p><p>As the woman gathered herself, Katara and Zuko covertly traded another glance. They were both thinking the same thing. All Katara had said was that she was a bounty hunter. And the woman had just glibly accepted it and readily invited Katara, a complete stranger, into her home. All because of a few kind words. Katara couldn't help but think if they <em>were</em> up to no good, this would have almost been too easy. Zuko couldn't help but agree, though they didn’t exchange a word aloud. They imperceptibly shook their heads at each other at how dangerously trusting this woman was.</p><p>****</p><p>“Bandits never used to be a problem around here,” the woman, who had introduced herself as Su, explained, clearly still worked up as she poured her guest the promised tea. Katara was sat on a stool at a small table in the kitchen and politely thanked her as she handed Katara a cup. The fire in the black, rusted oven hissed and spit out embers as the mouthwatering aroma of freshly baked bread wafted through the kitchen. Katara idly followed the embers’ trajectory and spotted haphazard scorch marks that had burned into the wooden boards that made up the floor. Her son had been sent to his room for his disobedience, but as she looked back up, Katara caught the boy peering out from behind the doorway that led from the kitchen to the sparsely furnished communal area while his mother’s back was turned. Katara caught his eye, and he conspiratorially lifted a finger to his lips. Katara smirked at him in response and nodded. The boy grinned back at her. “But a few months ago, people started getting attacked and robbed on their way to the market town.”</p><p>“We’re just a small farming community,” Su continued. “None of us know how to fight. Not that that stopped the Army from calling up our men and all our earthbenders. They decided they needed them more than we did,” she added bitterly. She sighed. “We’ve sent word to Gaoling for help, but they’ve done nothing. The Army is more than happy to take our benders away, but they’re not at all interested in protecting us.”</p><p>This was all sounding very dull and routine to Katara so far. From what Su had told her, it was simple enough to deduce that some bandits had clearly sniffed out a potentially lucrative opportunity with easy targets and moved into the area. It was nothing she hadn’t seen before, and so far, she had heard nothing to make her all that interested. But as boring as the job sounded, it <em>was</em> still work. It was at least worth getting all of the information before making a decision. “How many are there?” Katara asked.</p><p>“Two, and they always work together,” Su told her defeatedly. “And they’re getting worse. The last time someone was attacked, they were so close to our village… Honestly, sometimes I think it’s only a matter of time before they stop waiting and just come for us in our beds-!” Su’s breath hitched, and she brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a sob. Thinking of her son no doubt, Katara thought. This was obviously a fitful source of worry for the woman. She appeared to live alone with only her young child for company. Other than a single pair of large boots that Katara had spotted beside the front door, there were no hints that a man lived in the house. Whoever those boots belonged to had probably been called up, she reasoned.</p><p>Katara fought the urge to sigh impatiently while Su sniffled. Yes, it was all very sad and unfortunate for her, but crying wasn’t going to solve anything. It certainly wasn’t going to keep her son safe if the robbers <em>did </em>show up at her door. Katara sipped her tea, considering. Was this job worth the hassle and time? It wasn’t that she was in any particular rush to get to Gaoling, she just really wasn’t sure if she could be bothered with this one. It was no different to the work she had carried out in Ganhan, and the entire reason she had left was that she was sick and tired of chasing the same dull and uninspired bounties day after day.</p><p>On the other hand, there was one factor Katara hadn’t taken into account yet – Zuko. If she could persuade him to come with her, like he had with Gow…the prospect suddenly seemed far more appealing. She would be happy to split the earnings with him again. Who knew, he might even develop a taste for it. That was something Katara could work with. She already had plenty of reasons for liking his company and wanting to keep him around, so why not? She reflected that if she was going to get fed up of Zuko, she probably would have done so by now. It could turn out to be a lot of fun if she had an accomplice…</p><p>Resolved, Katara plastered a reassuring smile onto her face. “That sounds like something I can handle,” she told Su after giving her a moment.</p><p>“Would – would you be willing to help us?”</p><p>“I would,” Katara nodded, quickly adding, “but I’m afraid I can’t work for free.”</p><p>“Of course! I understand – you need to eat, too,” Su agreed, sounding remarkably hopeful. “I’ll get a whip-round going so we can pay you. How much do you charge?” When Katara told her what her usual fee was, Su’s face fell. “I – I don’t think we can afford that...”</p><p>At this, the tendril of interest that Katara had latched onto suddenly dissipated. Her fee was hardly extortionate, she though, frowning… Oh well, never mind. It was too bad for them, but Katara didn’t work for free. Hong had been an exceptional case of boredom getting the better of her, and although it had turned out very well for Katara, she wasn’t about to make a habit of it. Especially considering there were two robbers to apprehend. If the villagers couldn’t afford it, they couldn’t afford it. How was that her problem? Katara decided she should probably just drain her tea and take her leave as quickly as possible. Clearly there was nothing to be gained from staying here, and she didn’t want to have to listen to Su plead with her to change her mind.</p><p>“I’m sorry,” Katara told her politely, shaking her head, “but I don’t-”</p><p>“Please!” Su cut her off.</p><p>‘Here we go,’ Katara sighed internally. She couldn’t help but observe that Su appeared to be ready to drop to her knees and <em>beg </em>for assistance. She must be <em>very </em>desperate to casually discard her dignity in that manner…but Katara remained unmoved. Su could beg all she liked. That didn’t put gold in Katara’s pouch.  “We’re desperate!” Su wailed, confirming Katara’s suspicion. “After the last one, people are too afraid to leave their homes!” Su implored. Katara failed to see how that was her problem either. “They’re earthbenders! We – we don’t stand a chance against them.”</p><p>Katara’s ears pricked up. ‘Earthbenders, huh?’ she thought. ‘You buried the lead there.’ Katara had reasonably assumed she was being hired to take care of run-of-the-mill non-benders that were more of a nuisance than anything else – nothing worth her time and skill, now that she had a few bounties under her belt. But their being earthbenders changed things. That made the job interesting. Given her somewhat shaky history with them, earthbenders would likely provide a challenge. Where there was a challenge, there was a thrill. And where there was a thrill, Katara was much keener to get involved, with or without Zuko. Enough that she might be willing to renegotiate.</p><p>“How much can you afford?” Katara asked her. Then she sighed heavily at Su’s estimate. It was significantly less than what she had earned in Ganhan. A <em>lot </em>less. Barely worth her even talking to this woman, she observed wryly.</p><p>Taking on earthbenders did sound tempting, though…</p><p>‘Oh, fuck it, it’s been a while,’ Katara decided on impulse. She would take the job. But she wasn’t done just yet. There was something else her body had been craving over the last week in particular, and Su seemed like she might be in a position to help her out with that. She turned back to the other woman, who looked at her pleadingly, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears. Katara smiled at her. “Throw in a hot meal and a bed, and you’ve got a deal.”</p><p>Su’s face positively lit up. “I…of course!” she nodded hurriedly, practically falling over herself to accommodate the young bounty hunter. “We don’t have an inn, but you and your friend would be more than welcome to stay here. As long as you need, miss!”</p><p>“My name is Raina,” Katara replied. “And I work fast, so I don’t think I’ll need more than a night or two. Now, where will I find these earthbenders?”</p><p>****</p><p>When Katara stepped back outside, she found Zuko sat down and leaning against the hitching post where they had tethered the ostrich-horses, resting his elbows on his knees. He had decided he would wait outside whilst she talked with the woman, as it was literally Katara's business, not his. He stood back up the moment he saw her. As calm, if mildly irritated, as he appeared on the outside, his insides had begun churning uncomfortably while he’d waited. He recognised it for what it was – his body preparing itself for disappointment, in the hopes that it may soften the blow when it inevitably landed. For all his efforts, though, he could do nothing to quell the sense of foreboding that came over him as Katara approached.</p><p>“Did you find out anything useful?” he asked her.</p><p>“Yeah,” Katara nodded. “I actually got some work and a place to stay tonight.”</p><p>“Oh…I see…” he murmured in a low voice. It was all he could do. He sighed and felt himself deflate, his heart sinking steadily to his feet.</p><p>‘So…this is it then,’ he thought dejectedly. He hadn’t wanted this. The small spark of hope, of possibility, that had begun flickering tentatively when he thought about staying with Katara abruptly fizzled out into nothingness. The familiar sense of crushing disappointment sank into his bones, and he angrily berated himself for thinking for even one <em>moment </em>that things might work out in his favour. Because he knew what this meant. This was where Katara would go off and do what she needed to, and Zuko would be left roaming around stupidly, wondering where the fuck to go next. ‘It’s not like I didn’t know this was coming,’ he attempted to reason with himself, but it provided no solace. He had always known it was a possibility that Katara may get pulled away by bounties before Gaoling. He had just vainly hoped that it wouldn’t be so soon…</p><p>But that was stupid and his own fault. He should have known better than to hope. Pretty much anything Zuko hoped for turned to shit and the opposite always had a way of becoming reality instead because the spirits apparently deemed it fucking <em>impossible </em>to let him have just <em>one </em>thing! He hadn’t been asking for much! He wasn’t praying to get to go home, he wasn’t praying that his father would change his mind, he wasn’t even praying that Katara would suddenly declare she valued his company as much as he did hers. <em>All </em>he had asked for was for her not to leave him so soon! Why was that so fucking difficult?!</p><p>What he should have done was decide that he <em>didn’t</em> like Katara and hope that she <em>would </em>find work – then he may have been in with a fighting chance, he thought bitterly.</p><p>“She said you can stay too if you want,” Katara told him, bringing him out of his reverie.</p><p>Zuko shook his head. “I don’t think so,” he muttered gruffly.</p><p>Katara shrugged at him. Fuck, Zuko was <em>grouchy </em>at the moment. “All right, camp out if you prefer. But I’m gonna sleep in a bed tonight,” she replied nonchalantly. “But anyway, apparently there are some earthbenders between here and the next town who have been giving them trouble,” Katara continued, unperturbed by Zuko’s sullenness as she untied her pack from her ostrich-horse. “Taking them down could be a lot of fun,” she said suggestively, turning to face Zuko. “You want in?”</p><p>For the first time that day, the scowl fell of Zuko’s face as he looked at her in surprise. He hadn’t expected that. If he was being honest, he <em>did</em> want in. He really did. The prospect of beating on some scumbag bandits who deserved it sounded like just the remedy for his bad mood. It would also mean he and Katara could keep travelling together afterwards. It wouldn’t make sense for them to split off if they were heading in the same direction anyway.</p><p>Perhaps he should say yes? Perhaps he could stay? Perhaps, if he didn’t irk her too much, they could even stick together in Gaoling. He could join her on some more hunts. If Katara was to be believed, the Earth Kingdom was positively crawling with lowlife scum. This wasn’t something that would ordinarily concern Zuko, but he had already been forced into forging a new way of life. If he and Katara took on work together, he could have a purpose again. For five, long years he had been wandering, desperately seeking respite from his fate but never finding any quarter or peace. Sticking with Katara offered him a way out of that cycle. It wouldn’t help him undo the past or return home – but it would let him use his skills to make a mark on the world. For once, he wouldn’t even have to do it alone. He could have a partner at his side. He hadn’t known how much he’d wanted that until it had seemed to dangle before him in the form of the young waterbender...</p><p>Of course, this was all based on the assumption that Katara was agreeable to any of that, which she probably wouldn’t be. Still, if she didn’t want a partner, it could be salvageable, Zuko reasoned. Katara could go off and work to her heart’s content, and he could find something else to fill his days. The important thing was that they wouldn’t have to become strangers to one another. Lots of people had friends they met in public places just to spend time together. Katara herself had done just that in Ganhan with the soldiers. She’d told him as much. Katara had seemed to enjoy sharing a bottle with Zuko, too – he was confident that the Blue Spirit could acquire any kind of liquor she desired if it made it worth her while spending time with him. It was such an unremarkable, normal thing to do. Maybe Zuko could capture a bit of that for himself. Just once…</p><p>But even as his heart lifted at the prospect, the doubt came slithering back in, consuming him until the spark was once again quashed. Zuko sighed in defeat. It was a childish, naïve wish. As if Katara would <em>want</em> him around. Why would she? She didn’t need him. Katara was strong and powerful, a real force to be reckoned with. She knew what she was doing and, from what Zuko had seen, she was damn good at it. Zuko would only hinder her.</p><p>It was better to withdraw now, he knew. It would only hurt more if he delayed the inevitable. Katara would be better off without him. Hoping for anything different was completely pointless. Hope, in fact, was nothing more than a cruel, sadistic tease that tricked him into believing things could be better if only <em>this </em>happened or <em>that </em>were true! But it was always a lie, and any time he surrendered to its siren call, he always came crashing back down as reality revealed itself. Hoping didn’t get him anywhere, and when the few, small hopes he had allowed himself were inevitably dashed, it just left him more miserable than before. He was done. He was just fucking <em>done</em>…with <em>all </em>of it!</p><p>“No. I’m sure you can handle it,” Zuko eventually replied dismissively, startling himself by how cold he sounded. He sighed again. “I’m just gonna get going, I think. This place sucks.”</p><p>If Zuko had been paying attention, he would have spotted the shadow of disappointment that flashed momentarily across Katara’s face at his pronouncement. But by the time he turned back to her once he had climbed onto his ostrich-horse, she was only staring at him blankly.</p><p>“If that’s what you want,” she said coolly.</p><p>“Good luck, I guess,” Zuko nodded at her. He snorted. “Not that you need it.” He paused for a moment, before adding, “Maybe I’ll see you around sometime.” With that, he tapped his ostrich-horse into motion and trotted quickly out of the village, not giving Katara a chance to respond. He didn’t look back, too afraid that if he did, he would give in to his selfishness and weakness. He was doing the right thing. This was why he was better alone. There was no-one to disappoint and no-one who could disappoint <em>him</em> when he was alone. It was better this way, for both of them. He cared about her, he knew…but that was why he had to let her go. He was doing the right thing, he was doing the right thing, he was doing the right thing…</p><p>Katara’s eyes followed Zuko as he rode away, her brow furrowed. ‘Well, that was weird, even for you, Zuko,’ she remarked to herself.</p><p>She couldn’t say she wasn’t disappointed. Very disappointed, in fact. Katara hadn’t spent much time contemplating how her mind might react to her and Zuko separating, but as his silhouette retreated into the distance against the glare of the sun, she just knew. She didn’t want him to leave. And she didn’t understand why he was. She was confused. Hadn’t they been getting on well? He even seemed like he was comfortable with her at one point… What had made him suddenly decide he’d had enough? Then again, he had been <em>very </em>grumpy over the last day or so. She sighed. Perhaps it was just her. As tolerant as Zuko was, perhaps she had just gotten to be too much for him… It was a shame, she decided.</p><p>Would it be worth going after him? Katara had plenty of tricks up her sleeve, after all. Plenty of wiles she could employ to try and tempt him to change his mind. With Zuko being a man, Katara would ordinarily presume that seducing him and showing him just how gifted she could be would be the surest bet. Katara would certainly have no problem with that strategy, she would gladly bed him anyway. But she doubted if it would work. Zuko didn’t seem like the type to be easily hypnotised by a woman offering herself to him. Sex wasn’t a topic of conversation they had ever broached, but Zuko…he just thought differently to most men. Where a lot of them thought with their cocks when a pretty girl was around, Zuko was too…she wasn’t entirely sure. Tunnel-minded? Well, that may have been true while he was chasing them, but not anymore.</p><p>What mattered to him more than anything was his honour. That much was obvious, and even though he was no longer relying on capturing the Avatar to restore it, it was still what drove him. And so, if Katara were going to attempt to manipulate him, that was the weak spot in the wall she would kick at. He had come to her rescue once before, so that was a helpful weapon in her arsenal against him. She could use it to make Zuko feel like she <em>needed </em>him, and play on his reactions until he concluded by himself that staying by her side would be the most honourable course. It wasn’t as if he could go home anyway. True, Zuko might be harder to convince given that he knew she was a psychopath, but Katara reckoned she could muster up <em>just </em>the right level of emotional vulnerability to make it credible. The prospect of trying was certainly intriguing, even if only to see what she could make him believe.</p><p>But even as she contemplated the best tactic to make him dance to her will, Katara managed to hold herself back from mounting her ostrich-horse and chasing him. It was as if a steadying, guiding hand rested on her shoulder, keeping her from doing anything too rash. Though she knew there couldn’t possibly be anyone there, Katara’s instincts told her to listen. There would be no real purpose to it, she realised. True, she was used to doing whatever it took to get what she wanted, and right now what Katara wanted was Zuko. Surely it was only logical for her to use whatever means she could to ensure that Zuko stayed with her. Yet, as she thought about it, Katara also realised that she didn’t want her tricks to be the reason he came back. If she manipulated him rather than letting it be his free choice…well, he had already made his free choice, hadn’t he?</p><p>Zuko had to <em>want </em>to be with her, she concluded calmly. Otherwise what was the point? Katara had liked being around him for him, so why shouldn’t he want to be around her for her? Perhaps that was childish. She considered that it may even be completely irrational of her to want the feeling to be mutual on Zuko’s part – as long as he remained by her side, why did it matter how he got there?</p><p>It was no good dwelling on it, she told herself. Zuko had made his decision. If he didn’t want to travel with her anymore, that was up to him. She would just have to accept it and move on. It shouldn’t be too difficult. She wasn’t clear on whether she had the capacity to miss people anymore, but she hoped not. The last thing she needed was to waste time and energy pining over something she couldn’t have, like the pathetic, weeping “heroines” of romance tales. The only people she could think of that she <em>should </em>miss were her family, and she couldn’t say that she did. Her mother wasn’t around, her father had been away for years, she hadn’t seen her grandmother in months anyway, and Sokka…she didn’t <em>miss </em>him but she acknowledged that she was more aware of his absence than anyone else’s. She still thought about him sometimes but harboured no hopes nor desires of seeing him again soon.</p><p>She wondered if she would notice Zuko’s absence. Maybe…but she couldn’t be sure. She supposed she was about to find out.</p><p>****</p><p>After speaking with Su some more about the earthbenders, Katara had drawn up a rough plan of action. She had already decided she would wait until the next day to begin, to give herself some time to prepare for what she anticipated could be quite a thrilling takedown. There were two of them working together, which was a first for her, they were reportedly both earthbenders and they weren’t known for being gentle with it…they were exactly the kind of target that thrilled Katara. But as eager as Katara was to go and hunt them straightaway, she knew it would be better to go into it rested if she could. It helped that Su was a very gracious host and Katara wanted for nothing that night. The only bed available in Su’s house was her son’s, but she told Katara through a sad smile that since his father had been called up, Wan spent most nights in her bed anyway and Su didn’t have the heart to kick him out when he so clearly needed comfort. Katara only nodded at that.</p><p>Although the earthbenders could be unpredictable in their attacks, it seemed that they tended to favour one particular spot. It was a stretch of path that traversed a narrow, twisting ravine, only just wide enough for a single wagon to pass unhindered. As the path snaked through, travellers quickly found themselves encircled by high stone cliffs towering above them, so tall that nothing could grow for the complete lack of direct sunlight. To make things even better (for the earthbenders, at least), giant rocky boulders lined the pass, large enough to easily hide behind but that could also prove to be deadly weapons in the wrong hands. As Su described it to her, Katara could easily understand why they had chosen it. If Katara were minded towards that lifestyle, that was exactly the kind of place she would select – and Katara wasn’t even an earthbender.</p><p>The only real issue, however, was that it didn’t sound as though there was a viable escape route. If things turned ugly, there was a decent chance Katara could end up trapped in the ravine with her bounties, surrounded entirely by their element. While that would undoubtedly just make it more thrilling, Katara knew it would still make more sense to try and draw them out into the open, to give her more room to manoeuvre. She could imagine the earthbenders may be reluctant to leave their playground, but that wasn’t too troublesome. Katara was well aware that with the right motivation, anyone could be incited to recklessness. Katara would just have to make it appear as if any prize they stood to win from her would be worth the risk. She began to rue not wasting money on jewellery or trinkets or even some finer clothes than her Water Tribe blues or her Earth Kingdom peasant costume, as that would help sell the image a lot faster – but then again, was it really believable that a wealthy young Earth Kingdom woman laden with riches would travel unescorted? There was no guarantee the earthbenders were simple enough to fall for such a ruse, and if Katara aroused their suspicion rather than their greed, she would get nowhere. That wasn’t a problem in and of itself, she was used to tracking bounties down, but they probably knew the mountains like the back of their hand and it could take her a while. Katara wouldn’t abandon even the most frustratingly drawn-out job, it wasn’t her style, but that didn’t mean she wanted it to become one.</p><p>Her best bet at drawing out the earthbenders was to act afraid and vulnerable, she reasoned. As if she were only crossing this route because she was desperate. She wasn’t completely certain of the earthbenders’ strategy – if they simply struck when they felt the moment was right, or if they liked to toy with their marks first. Not having fallen victim to them herself, Su was unable to tell her and had seemed unnerved enough by the question that Katara chose not to press it. But secretly, she hoped for the latter. Not only would it be good blending practice, it would also give Katara more time to observe them while she mimicked cowering in fear before them.</p><p>She couldn’t wait to see the looks on their faces when they realised what she was capable of.</p><p>Once Katara caught sight of the ravine the next morning, she pulled her ostrich-horse to a stop and jumped down. She opened her mostly depleted pack, having left the bulk of her belongings with Su, and began rifling through it before retrieving a few bites of feed. She walked around to the creature’s head, chuckling knowingly at the pained whine sounding from the animal as she nuzzled her master’s closed hand for the treats inside. Katara leaned forward and rubbed her nose softly, whispering, “You’ll stay with me, won’t you, girl?” The ostrich-horse responded by nudging her closed hand again. Katara smiled and opened up her fist. As if on cue, Katara then felt a hot, slick tongue run along her palm, relieving her of almost half of the portion in one swoop. Katara hummed with fond amusement. “As long as I keep spoiling you, that is.”</p><p>As the ostrich-horse lapped up her snack, Katara began to scan her surroundings. Behind her, the path was largely open, with thick patches of forest lining the slopes, cut back to allow for easier passage. The path was a well-trodden one, with wide ruts in the ground from the many wagons that had rolled through over the years. Katara had noticed on the journey that there were odd tracks here and there that led into the cover of the trees, but it was impossible to determine whether the tracks were those of panicking victims or attackers making their escape. If Katara had no luck in drawing out the earthbenders today, it might be worth exploring the forest. They had to have a hide-out somewhere in the area, after all, and the forest seemed a good place to start.</p><p>Before her lay the entrance to the ravine. Just as Su had described, two sheer cliff-faces flanked either side of the path like sentries, a gateway to the shadows that lay within. The path narrowed considerably to accommodate it, and it struck Katara that it wasn’t so much a <em>ravine </em>as it was a tunnel, albeit without a roof. Not that it made any practical difference, it was just an idle observation.  Another realisation then struck Katara. The moment she, or anyone else, stepped in, it would be so delectably simple for the earthbenders to seal the entrance behind her and pen her in…</p><p>To anyone else, that prospect would be heart-twistingly intimidating and may convince them to turn back – to Katara, it only promised excitement. She wondered if they had done so before. These earthbenders did seem to be quite clever, in their way, so she couldn’t rule out that that was a tactic of theirs. According to Su, not all travellers were attacked. There was no <em>guarantee </em>of an attack, but the risk was great enough and the ambushes violent enough that it left the villagers in a state of fear when circumstances forced them to make the journey. Katara suspected that there couldn’t be an obvious alternative route, or the villagers wouldn’t continue to use this path. Perhaps there wasn’t one at all, at least not without the aid of earthbending. All the same, if the robbers struck every time, the villagers would have no choice but to find a way to adapt if they wanted to survive. If enough passed through unscathed, the villagers may be frightened and harried, but would still attempt to take the risk when it was worth it. Katara imagined that the ones willing to take the risk would generally also garner the earthbenders the most valuable loot. So yes – clever.</p><p>Looking down at her plain grey dress and brown, hooded cloak, Katara hoped she could attract their attention. Hoped that the thought of seemingly easy prey would draw them out. Katara had decided to eschew her usual black cloak in favour of the simple garment that was now draped around her shoulders, which she had borrowed from Su. The woman was remarkably generous, it turned out…especially when she didn’t know it. Katara had felt the black cloak wouldn’t help her in this case. The plan was to look inconspicuous, as if she were deliberately trying to escape notice even while attempting to capture it. Katara didn’t underestimate the element of surprise, and in so doing, planned to make the earthbenders underestimate <em>her</em>.</p><p>Suddenly, a spot of rain tickled the back of her neck. She looked up and noticed the sun dimming above her as thick, dark grey clouds rolled in over the mountains. She held out a hand and felt another drop of her element land squarely on her palm. Followed by another, and another. Katara flexed her fingers and watched with satisfaction as the droplets came together to form a small bauble of water, hovering steadily above her hand. She smirked. Inclement weather wasn’t usually a positive in the mountains…but Katara was a waterbender. She could use this to her advantage. Provoking the earthbenders into giving chase until she was clear of the pass would still be the ideal, but by no means essential. She could take them within the narrow confines of the ravine if it came to it, surrounded as they would be by <em>both </em>of their elements now. This was going to be fun…</p><p>Katara’s smirk widened as she pulled the hood over her head and crossed the threshold into the ravine. ‘Those earthbenders don’t know what’s coming for them.’</p><p>But what Katara didn’t know was that all the while she had been standing there, she was being watched. A figure clad all in black crouched in a tree on the slopes just behind her, never taking their eyes off her. They had been watching her for a while. They had watched undetected as she rode past them just outside of the village. Their light steps had failed to catch her attention while they followed her, ducking and diving behind every shred of cover they could find. They finally clambered silently up the tree when she came to a stop. And now they continued to watch as Katara’s figure became swallowed by the gloom of the passage.</p><p>It wasn’t until she rounded the first corner, out of their line of sight, that they moved. They sprung from their perch, landing noiselessly on the ground only a small distance away from the tethered ostrich-horse. The creature brayed in confusion at their sudden appearance, and stepped nervously backwards, pulling the rope taut, her eyes flared in alarm. Not wanting her to alert her master, the figure calmly approached and reached out a hand, and they tenderly stroked the creature’s mane, shushing her softly. After a moment, she calmed at their gentle touch and instinctively leaned into them, sniffing at their gloved hand curiously. As if she knew they were safe.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” they promised. “I’ll make sure she comes back to you.”</p><p>****</p><p>The rain pattered down all around Katara as she traipsed her way through the ravine. The path snaked around the cliffs, twisting and turning until even the most skilled navigator would lose their sense of direction. Her gaze occasionally flicked upwards, scoping for any possible ambush, but so far the only signs of life were her own. The scattered droplets had quickly given way to a downpour, and the sodden ground beneath her feet squelched with every step she took. Thin rivulets of water began to cascade down the cliff-faces on either side of her, almost appearing to shimmer in the gloom. It didn’t take long for Katara’s borrowed cloak to become saturated and it began to weigh heavily on her shoulders. She resisted the impulse to waterbend it off, however – any effects wouldn’t last long whilst it was still raining, and if she was seen by her targets, it would give the game away too quickly.</p><p>It was as Katara rounded yet another bend that she heard it. The noise would have been too quiet for Katara to pick out through the rain were she not already listening intently, but it was there – the distinctive sound of a squelch…that Katara knew hadn’t come from her. Everything then went eerily still, save for the rain which still pelted her. She paused and smirked in anticipation. This could be it.</p><p>Arranging her face into a meek and scared expression, she shuffled timidly back around the corner.</p><p>“H-hello?” she called out uncertainly. Unsurprisingly, there was no answer. Pretending to be satisfied that she had just imagined it, Katara drew the hood further over her head and kept going.</p><p>As she continued to wander through, she made a routine of occasionally turning sharply around, as if she had heard something else, but each time only the empty path greeted her. Until it didn’t. She spun around once more, and this time, she just snatched a swift, almost indiscernible movement out of the corner of her eye. Someone diving behind a boulder to stay out of sight. She smirked again. Oh, this was definitely it!</p><p>‘Not bad – I wouldn’t have seen you if I wasn’t looking,’ she mused. Whoever was following her clearly had stealth down to an art form. Of course, the large clusters of boulders resting against the cliffs were doing half their job for them. As tempting as it was to unleash the power of her element on them then and there, she decided to keep going. There were two of them, she reminded herself, and she didn’t want to become distracted by one only to then be waylaid by the other. As far as Katara could tell, she was almost at the end of the ravine anyway. She just had to go a little bit further. Though she saw no reason not to rile them up a bit first. Get them excited…and tempt them to recklessness. A hot bolt of energy pulsed through her at the promise of what was about to unfold.</p><p>‘<em>There</em> it is,’ she thought gleefully. It was already starting. It was a pity about Zuko, yes, but <em>this </em>just proved she didn’t need him to still find a thrill!</p><p>“Is – is someone there?” She made sure to inject some fear into her voice that time, let them think they were getting to her. As expected, there was once again no answer. Katara made a show of breathing heavily before spinning on her heel and walking at a more hurried pace towards the exit. She broke into a run once she caught sight of the copse of trees at the other end. That was useful.</p><p>As soon as Katara broke free of the walls of the ravine, she darted sharply to the right to throw her pursuer off. She ran until she found a tree with a sturdy, low-hanging branch before leaping into the air mid-run and she grabbed onto the limb, scraping her palms on the rough bark. She pulled herself up and hastily beat a retreat along the branch to the trunk. She crouched down, turning her back to the knot that supported the branch, and wrapped the cloak around herself to blend in as much as possible. She wasn’t very high up, but she didn’t need to be. She just needed to not be immediately obvious to prying eyes. Even better, she could see the entrance from here. The tiles had flipped.</p><p>Before long, Katara spied a lithe, slim figure dressed all in black emerging from the ravine in a light run. The branches hanging directly in front of her obstructed her view so she couldn’t see their face, but their physique instantly told her that it was a man. A man up to no good, judging by his behaviour.</p><p>Upon realising he had lost her, the figure stopped. Katara watched as he slowly turned his head and stepped cautiously forward. She held herself still when he turned towards her…but he made no move in her direction. He didn’t even react. He must not have seen her, she figured. The cloak had served its purpose well. But it was helpful that he had moved since it offered her a glimpse of his face for the first time. However, it wasn’t a face she expected to see. It wasn’t a face at all. It was a mask, painted light blue and white, the colours reminiscent of her Water Tribe robes, with an ominously demonic visage greeting the world. Katara imagined the aim was to intimidate, but she was just curious. Because something about that mask rang in the back of her mind.</p><p>‘I know that face,’ Katara pondered. ‘I’ve seen it before…’ But where?</p><p>It didn’t take much wracking of Katara’s brain before she remembered. The wanted posters. She had seen several of them dotted around towns and villages along the west coast of the Earth Kingdom. This was the infamous Blue Spirit…the very same man, presumably, who had rescued the Avatar when he had been careless enough to get captured. Aang had waited until both she and Sokka had recovered before telling them the full story, about how he had been broken out of his chains by a mysterious masked saviour, and they had fought their way out of the stronghold together. Aang had been unusually vague about what had happened between the escape and his returning to them, but at the time, Katara had just been so thankful that Aang was okay that she hadn’t questioned it.</p><p>And now here the Blue Spirit was before her in the flesh – she presumed, anyway. As amusing as it was to imagine, she doubted if even the Fire Nation were arrogant enough to put out a bounty on an actual spirit. That would just be absurd. Besides, as agile as the masked man seemed to be, he didn’t move like a spirit. No, there was no doubt in her mind that the figure was human</p><p>But that didn’t explain what he was doing <em>here</em>. Had he gone rogue? Given up on rescue missions and turned to banditry? Aang hadn’t made any mention that the Blue Spirit might be an earthbender, but it wasn’t impossible. Of course, seeing as it was only a mask that presumably anyone with enough money could buy (or steal, of course), it was also very possible that this man was merely an imposter. Perhaps someone who had seen the notices themselves and just wanted a free ride on the Blue Spirit’s fearsome reputation. It was the sort of thing that might make his victims more complicit, she supposed. The mask alone was liable to render those of a weaker disposition quaking in their boots. Katara could see the logic in that approach.</p><p>Or did the Blue Spirit have nothing to do with the robberies? Was he here for her? Did he somehow know who she was? Did he think she would lead him to the Avatar? Well, he was going to be sorely disappointed if that was the case, Katara thought wryly. But in any event, she needed to confront him. Either he was one of the earthbenders she had been hired to collect or he had some other motive for following her. Katara would be lying if she said she wasn’t intrigued to find out which.</p><p>She waited for him to turn away before making her move. She carefully dropped back down to the ground and nimbly made her way towards him. She moved as silently as possible, uncapping her waterskin in preparation. He still had his back to her as she neared, completely unaware of her presence. Her lips quirked up into a twisted smile. For once, it was genuine. She relished the familiar, evocative sensation of her nerves flaring to life deep within her as her body geared itself for a fight. Katara took a deep, satisfied breath. She wanted to savour this moment. The mellow high at the end of battle, pleasant as it was, just wasn’t quite the same. <em>These</em> moments burned much more brightly and intensely, simmering with a fervour unmatched by anything she had ever felt before.</p><p>‘Let the game begin.’</p><p>“Looking for me?” Katara drawled. At the sound of her voice, the Blue Spirit spun sharply around as if she had struck him with a water-whip, and halted when he caught sight of her.</p><p>For a few moments, neither of them moved, frozen in a silent deadlock. Katara gazed curiously into the sightless, black abyss of the Blue Spirit’s eyeholes, but they gave nothing away. She couldn’t help but think it was a shame he was wearing a mask – she liked to look her opponents in the eye when she defeated them. She would have to remember to wrestle the mask off once he was subdued. If this was the same man who had rescued the Avatar, she knew he would remain silent. Aang had told them that even while fighting off the many soldiers who had intercepted them during their escape, he hadn’t heard the Blue Spirit utter a single sound.</p><p>Perhaps Katara could change that.</p><p>“I have to be honest, I didn’t expect to see <em>you </em>here,” Katara mused aloud, cocking her head to the side. “I didn’t think this would be your kettle of fish.” The Blue Spirit didn’t respond. He still hadn’t moved at all. “Well, if you’re trying to rob me, you’re doing a pretty bad job,” she remarked casually. “But you were following me, weren’t you?” To her surprise, the Blue Spirit nodded in response. She raised her eyebrows. “Do you know who I am?” The Blue Spirit nodded. Katara hummed with approval. “That’s sweet.” She leaned towards him and took a step closer. The Blue Spirit merely cocked his own head to the side, which she took for acquiescence. She smirked. “I know you, too.”</p><p>She didn’t know what she’d done, but <em>spirits </em>that did it! The Blue Spirit suddenly sprang into action. He swiftly drew the twin Dao swords from the sheath strapped to his back, which Katara hadn’t noticed before. He held them steadily aloft, warning her not to come closer. Far from flinching, like he had probably expected her to, Katara instead merely adopted a disappointed expression. “Come on, there’s no need to get violent,” she goaded. “We’re just talking.” But it seemed that for the Blue Spirit, the conversation was over. He stepped carefully backwards, until he was satisfied that he was far enough away, and then spun on his heel and darted back towards the ravine. With all the grace of a real spirit, he leapt onto the side of the cliff and began scaling it effortlessly. Katara shook her head at him. He obviously didn’t know her that well.</p><p>She reached out for the water that she knew would coat the surface of the rock after the rainfall, and with one flick of her wrist, the Blue Spirit’s escape route suddenly turned to ice under his gloved hands. She watched with fascination as he rapidly lost all of his earlier elegance and began scrabbling fitfully to maintain his hold. Luckily, he wasn’t very high up, which Katara had already calculated for. Unluckily, he soon lost his grip and went tumbling down. He twisted his body in mid-air, bracing himself for the impact, and as he landed, he gracefully rolled until he was back on his feet, crouching into a defensive stance. The unseeing eyes seemed to watch Katara warily as she calmly approached him. He sprang back to his full height and drew his swords once more, the almost melodic clanging echoing around them as it bounced off the trees. But Katara kept coming, still wearing that perilously piercing smirk of hers.</p><p>The Blue Spirit quickly ducked to his right to try and make a dash for the passage instead, but Katara struck out a water-whip in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. His second attempt at fleeing ended in the same manner. He still held his swords in his hands. There was too great a distance between them to slash at her, but he wouldn’t anyway. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. Right now, the best plan he had was to try and get away before she confirmed his real identity. If it came down to a fight first, so be it. He would do the bare minimum necessary to defend himself until she was satisfied. He <em>wouldn’t </em>use his bending. Not against her. Never again, if he could help it.</p><p>Without warning, Katara suddenly sprinted forwards. She lashed out another water-whip, this one aiming for his body, but he blocked the attack easily with the swords, casting the water aside where it splashed uselessly to the earth. Katara considered sending ice daggers his way, but quickly decided against it. Injuring him didn’t serve her purpose yet. For now, she just wanted him to stay put so she could question him. And perhaps toy with him, just a little. Despite being (she assumed) a non-bender, he was shaping out to be a very capable and thrilling adversary.</p><p>He raised his swords when she was within spitting distance, and Katara immediately dove to her left to avoid the slashes she was certain were coming for her. But the Blue Spirit did no such thing. And when Katara approached from the side, gripping an ice dagger, he did something entirely unexpected. He dropped his swords, and instead swivelled to face her with his fists raised. Katara realised then that he was just toying with <em>her </em>as much as she was him. Well, that sounded like it could be entertaining, too.</p><p>“All right,” Katara smirked at him. Katara was always happy to indulge her target for as long as it excited her. She discarded the ice dagger and instead brought her own fists up.</p><p>The Blue Spirit was good. <em>Very </em>good. Hand-to-hand combat wasn’t Katara’s strong point by any means, but no matter how hard she swung, how high or how low she struck, how many times she feinted only to swap hands at the last second, she never landed even a glancing blow. He blocked her with ease each time, almost seeming to dance around her, never tiring.</p><p>Katara lunged at him again, refusing to give up, when he suddenly looped an arm around her waist and bodily tackled her to the ground. Katara writhed and wriggled against his grip, elbowing him sharply in the stomach, but if it hurt, the Blue Spirit wasn’t making it apparent. They rolled over as they fought, each struggling to gain the upper hand over the other.</p><p>Katara, for her part, was enjoying herself immensely. A tussle with the Blue Spirit was <em>not </em>how she had imagined her day going, but damn if this wasn’t fun! She didn’t think she had felt this excited since being nearly buried alive. They continued wrestling for dominance, but it wasn’t long before the Blue Spirit overwhelmed her. He let go of her waist and grabbed hold of her wrists. Katara fought vainly against him, but it was no good. She just didn’t have his strength. And as powerful a waterbender as she may be, even she couldn’t bend without the use of her arms. The Blue Spirit deftly pinned her wrist down on either side of her head. He was kneeling beside her and his chest half-loomed over her. She glared into the blackness of the mask’s eyeholes, but the mask’s menacing grin just stared blankly back at her. She rearranged her expression into a smile.</p><p>“So,” she said playfully, “you got me. What do you want?” She didn’t seriously expect the Blue Spirit to answer, but his silence was becoming annoying now that she was pinned. She resented not being able to see his face once more. She needed to get a read on him. If she couldn’t match him in a physical fight, she would have to resort to mind games to come out on top. But for that, she needed to see him. Look into his eyes. Work out who she was dealing with.</p><p>The Blue Spirit released his grip on one of her wrists and slowly moved his hand away, testing her. When she snapped it up as if to strike him, he immediately pinned it back down. He shook his head at her. She thought she understood. ‘Don’t try to attack me and I’ll just walk away,’ he was saying. Well, Katara wasn’t going to give him what he wanted so easily. He had followed her for a reason. There was no point in being shy about it just because she’d caught him in the act. He clearly wanted <em>something </em>from her, though it was lost on her why, now that she was literally in his grasp, he was too afraid to take whatever he’d come for. “Come on,” she drawled. “I know you didn’t come all this way for nothing.” The Blue Spirit nodded at her. “You’re here for me, aren’t you?” The Blue Spirit nodded. “Why?” she asked curiously. The Blue Spirit shook his head, before relaxing his hold on one of her wrists again. This time, Katara remained still as he leaned cautiously back. Satisfied, he rocked back on his heels and raised himself to stand before her, watching her closely as she sat up. Then, without thinking, he extended a hand towards her, gesturing to help her up.</p><p>Katara looked up at him with what she hoped was uncertainty and tentatively reached out her left hand to take it. She placed her right hand at her side as if to support herself, feeling the earth. A tendril of water from the soaked soil snaked surreptitiously around her fingers at her command, though Katara kept her eyes fixed on her opponent to distract him. Just as the Blue Spirit closed his hand around hers to pull her up, Katara suddenly yanked down. The unexpected force pulled him sharply to his knees and she wasted no time in slapping the tendril of water around his wrists, forcing his hands together and freezing them in place. Smirking, Katara then lurched forward and clutched greedily at the base of his mask to pull it off. Panicking, the Blue Spirit desperately attempted to scrabble back from her, but it was too late. As she slipped the mask over his head and saw the face that lay beneath, Katara frowned in confusion.</p><p>“Zuko?”</p><p>The mask slipped through her fingers, forgotten, and fell to the ground with a quiet thud. Neither of them seemed to notice. What was Zuko doing here? Why had he been following her? Why had he just upped and left with barely a word only to try and ambush her? Why-</p><p>‘Oh…’ Katara realised, her expression darkening as the answer revealed itself. ‘I get it...’</p><p>It suddenly made sense. She understood why he had left her now. She understood why he had snuck up on her. Zuko <em>was</em> just like everybody else. He <em>was </em>here for her…but not in the way she would have liked. Spirits, he had played his role so perfectly. He had said he trusted her…</p><p>She should feel hurt, she knew. She should feel angry. Before the Spirit Oasis, she would have done. But she remained calm. It seemed that Zuko, someone she had grown to like and trust, had betrayed her. This realisation didn’t <em>sting</em> exactly – at the worst, she felt perhaps a minor pinch. If she was being honest, she was more affronted that he had been able to deceive her so thoroughly. His efforts were almost impressive, she observed with detached interest. But Katara had no intention of letting him get away with it. She remained clear enough to consider that there <em>may </em>be another explanation, but if there wasn’t…Zuko was going to feel the full brunt of her wrath.</p><p>Zuko gawped back at her with alarm. He slowly stood up, his hands still frozen together. His eyes almost seemed to plead with her, begging her to show him mercy, to spare him. But Katara wouldn’t be moved if her suspicions were correct. And she was going to make him talk.</p><p>“Katara, I-” Before Zuko could finish his sentence, Katara abruptly shot to her feet and swung her forearm into his chest. Zuko grunted, for the first time throughout their entire brawl, and she slammed him solidly against the trunk of the nearest tree, her eyes blazing with malice. “I know how this looks!” Zuko said hurriedly, but Katara wasn’t listening.</p><p>Katara released the pressure from his chest and immediately grasped as much water as she could from the sodden earth. It flew up at her command and wrapped itself thickly around Zuko before she froze it, binding him fast to the tree.</p><p>“You can try melting it,” she told him calmly, her voice dripping with venom, “but it won’t do you any good.” It had stopped raining by now, but there was still plenty of her element around. Zuko could firebend his way out quite easily – but Katara could refreeze him just as quickly. Zuko must have also realised this because he made no move to free himself. He sighed and bowed his head. Full of shame, no doubt. For someone who was positively, unhealthily <em>obsessed </em>with honour, this was an extremely callous and cowardly way of dealing with her.</p><p>But there was one part of this that didn’t make any sense.</p><p>“Why not just kill me in my sleep?” she asked softly. It would certainly have been a lot faster. “No, wait, let me guess. You have too much “honour” for that,” she sneered, complete with air quotes.</p><p>Zuko’s head snapped back up. “What?! No, Katara-!”</p><p>“I have to hand it to you,” Katara interjected coldly, “that was a very impressive performance. Pretending to be okay with me, just waiting for the right moment to strike.” She hummed thoughtfully. “I’m not sure I would have lasted as long as you did.”</p><p>“Katara, I <em>am </em>okay with you!” Zuko protested, still making no effort to firebend his way out of his icy prison. “Just let me explain!”</p><p>“One thing I don’t understand, though,” Katara continued, deaf to Zuko’s pleas. She began to pace up and down as she contemplated. “Why swords? I mean, I know you like being dramatic but that just seems like overkill, don’t you think? You’re a firebender – just burn me to a crisp and walk away.” Zuko struggled against his bonds, still refusing to firebend. “You could literally get away with murder,” she pointed out blithely. “I’d be nothing more than a pile of ashes by the time you were done. Besides, who would miss the creepy, crazy psychopath? That’s what you thought, right?”</p><p>“No! Just…just give me a chance to talk!”</p><p>Katara arranged her face into a wide grin. “Ooh, this should be good!” she said brightly, clapping her hands together excitedly. “Do tell!” The grin fell off her face as suddenly as it had appeared and she glared at him coldly, a dangerous glint emerging in her eyes. “I’m <em>all</em> ears.”</p><p>“I…” Zuko faltered. He had been an idiot. He knew that. A massive, stubborn, pig-headed idiot. He should never have ridden away from her. He hadn’t even <em>wanted </em>to. He had done it for her. It was the only way, he’d told himself. But then last night, as he’d sat alone in his makeshift camp, something she said had clicked in him. Something that had made him grow fearful for her. “After…after I left,” he uttered weakly, averting his gaze. “I remembered what you said about the earthbenders. And…I just wanted to make sure you would be okay. That’s why I followed you! I’m <em>not </em>here to hurt you!”</p><p>Katara blinked, snorting with mild amusement as the utter ludicrousness of his words sank in. ‘Try again, firebender,’ she thought.</p><p>“As deeply touching as that is,” she scoffed, “it’s also the biggest pile of crap I’ve ever heard.” She advanced on him. Zuko, to his credit, didn’t shrink back but he did turn his head away. “Lying isn’t your strong point, firebender. They have to believable to work.” She reached out and tucked her fingers surprisingly gently under his chin, and tilted his face back towards her. She leaned in close. “I warned you what would happen if you lied to me,” she whispered darkly.</p><p>“I’m not…lying,” Zuko insisted. Katara scoffed again and let go of his chin. She turned her back to him and resumed pacing.</p><p>“See, here’s the thing about people, Zuko. They all like to think they’re so special and unique, but I didn’t have to spend a lot of time watching to realise that most of them are very predictable. And from what I’ve observed, when someone is worried about someone else, what most people usually do is go and <em>talk</em> to that person. They <em>don’t</em> dress up like an assassin and sneak up on them because that’s a really dumb way of showing someone you care. So you can see why I’m having a hard time believing you.” She hummed with amusement. It was ironic. As a lie, it was laughably abysmal.</p><p>And yet…it seemed <em>just</em> stupefyingly bizarre enough to be true... Truth could be stranger than fiction – she was sure she’d heard that once. Katara did acknowledge the possibility that Zuko was just that ridiculous – it was why she hadn’t struck yet. She would certainly prefer that to the alternative.</p><p>As if he had read her mind, Zuko said, “I know it sounds stupid but it’s the truth!”</p><p>“So why sneak up on me?” she questioned mockingly, stepping back into his personal space.</p><p>“I just…” he sighed. He had his reasons, but it was seeming less and less likely that Katara would accept it. It was why he had hidden behind his mask in the first place. “I didn’t think you’d want to see me again…after the way I behaved.”</p><p>“Why did you behave like that?”</p><p>“I figured you’d be better off,” Zuko confessed, so quietly that Katara strained to hear him. He sighed again and fell into silence, lowering his chin to his chest. Even Katara went quiet, deliberating. She wanted him to be telling the truth…but no, it still didn’t add up.</p><p>“That’s not an answer, Zuko. It doesn’t even make sense. By your logic, I’m both better off without you but I still somehow need you to check up on me,” Katara said sceptically. Zuko shook his head.</p><p>“No. I wasn’t checking up on you – I know you’re more than capable,” he insisted. “I <em>promise</em> I would have held back unless I thought they were getting too much for you. But…they’re earthbenders, Katara! I didn’t want you to get hurt!” The same horrible images from the night before ran through his mind. Katara getting smashed over the head with a rock; Katara finding herself surrounded with no-one around to help; Katara being leered over by faceless men getting ready to force themselves on her; Katara screaming in pain; …Katara, lying motionless on the ground, covered in blood, all the life drained from her eyes… He blinked them away furiously. They had haunted him last night…more than he would have expected. They had compelled him to dream up and then go through with what he was now realising was a genuinely stupid plan. He could almost hear his uncle scolding him in his head, ‘Zuko! You never think things through!’</p><p>“Why do you even give a shit?” Katara asked harshly.</p><p>“I couldn’t just leave you to face them on your own! I saw what happened with Gow, remember?”</p><p>“But you did just leave,” she pointed out obviously. “It was pretty clear that you didn’t want to be around me.”</p><p>“I know,” Zuko sighed in defeat. She was absolutely right. What he’d done hadn’t been rational. It had been impulsive and stupid, and Uncle would have looked down on him in despair.</p><p>A wave of cold clarity washed over him, and he saw what needed to be done, just like when he had made the decision to cut his phoenix tail. He could blast his way out of this, sure, but he didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to give Katara another reason not to trust him after everything that had happened. No more games. The time had come to stop hiding behind his mask… The time had come to be brutally, gut-wrenchingly honest. His stomach did indeed twist at the thought, but he had to power through. Katara deserved that much at the very least. “But it’s not true.” He looked up at her, his eyes filled with newfound determination. “I <em>do </em>want to be around you, Katara,” he confessed sombrely. “You’re the closest thing to a friend I’ve ever had. I…I care about you.”</p><p>“So why did you leave?” she pressed.</p><p>“Because I didn’t think you’d want to be around <em>me</em>!” Zuko suddenly snapped. In that instant, he lost his fragile grip on his flaring emotions and his inner fire acted of its own accord. The ice that bound him to the tree began to rapidly melt, the newly-unfettered water dripping onto the roots beneath his feet. Zuko shrugged himself free of the remnants of the bonds and glared fiercely at the waterbender. But he wasn’t frustrated with her. He was frustrated with himself, with his sister, with his stupid tongue that couldn’t have just <em>held</em> itself at that crucial moment, with all that had led to him being here rather than at home where he belonged!  “<em>No-one </em>wants to be around me!” he spat, more at the air than Katara. “I figured it was only a matter of time before you turned on me, too! And you know what, after everything I did to you, I don’t even blame you!” He sighed deeply and sank to the ground. He leaned against the tree, his anger spent as quickly as it had risen. He groaned at himself. He shouldn’t have shouted at her. None of this was her fault. What was <em>wrong </em>with him?!</p><p>“When did I say I don’t want to be around you?” Katara asked, confused.</p><p>“You didn’t need to. Why <em>would </em>you want to be around me?”</p><p>“Because I like you, Zuko,” Katara replied as though it were obvious, completely unfazed by his outburst. “Was that not clear?” Zuko merely blinked in response, not seeming to quite believe her.</p><p>“How’s that possible?” he muttered bitterly. “Even my own fucking family hate me.”</p><p>“Okay. So?” Zuko looked up at her incredulously, but he realised from her expression that she wasn’t just being glib. Her expression softened as she looked down at him uncertainly. “I’m actually asking, Zuko,” she continued. “Why do you still care what they think?” It had been five years, after all. More than long enough, surely? It had taken her less than a <em>day </em>to stop obsessing over what Sokka said.</p><p>“They’re my family,” Zuko replied weakly.</p><p>“Sokka is <em>my </em>family,” she pointed out. “I mean sure, it hurt a little at first, but I’m fine now.”</p><p>“You’re also a psychopath,” Zuko retorted without thinking. He groaned and grimaced as he realised how that must have sounded. He hadn’t meant it like that. “Sorry, that came out wrong. I just meant…you – you said you don’t care about things in the same way, right? So, it’s different for you.”</p><p>Well, that wasn’t an unreasonable assessment, Katara considered.</p><p>“You might be right about that,” she conceded aloud. “But it doesn’t change what I said. If your family don’t want you, so what? You’ve gotten along without them for years. Fuck them. Sure, your uncle seems like a decent guy, but your sister, from what I’ve seen, is a total bitch.”</p><p>Zuko couldn’t argue with any of that. Despite the solemnity of the moment, he couldn’t help but snort at Katara’s bluntness.</p><p>“You don’t know the half of it,” he told her. “Did I ever tell you she tried to trick me and take me back to the Fire Nation as her prisoner?” Katara hadn’t known that, though she couldn’t say this was a surprising piece of information.</p><p>“Like I said – bitch,” Katara commented drily. She moved towards him, and Zuko looked back up and met her gaze. Her expression was soft. “But, going back to before…I believe you.”</p><p>Zuko wasn’t lying. She could tell. He was an appalling liar anyway, and Katara had had enough time now to gauge that Zuko wasn’t just covering his ass. As unbelievable as it was…he was telling her the truth. In all its glorious stupidity. But that wasn’t everything. She thought she understood it all now. Why Zuko was so prickly. Why he was so defensive, so quick to turn to aggression.  He had basically told her as much. His family had rejected him…and that upset him. The ‘why’ of it didn’t make sense to Katara, but that was nonetheless the truth of it.</p><p>“You don’t think you’re worth being around, do you?” she concluded quietly. “You thought <em>I’d </em>want you to leave. So you did.” Zuko closed his eyes and nodded, feeling at once horrendously vulnerable yet strangely relieved. Because he knew that Katara wouldn’t strike at him for his weakness. She wasn’t looking for delicate spots to reprimand or exploit. She was just talking. He hadn’t been wrong about her… Katara sighed. She wasn’t too sure what to do about this revelation. Even before the Spirit Oasis, her self-esteem had never been as low as Zuko’s seemed to be. “Do you really think of me as a friend?” she settled for asking.</p><p>“Yes,” Zuko replied unhesitatingly.</p><p>“That’s nice,” she said genuinely.</p><p>“I know I’m probably the last person you need as a friend.”</p><p>“To be fair, I don’t <em>need </em>anyone as a friend,” Katara told him. “Neither do you. But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be nice to have one.”</p><p>“You’re just saying that,” he sighed, bowing his head.</p><p>Katara fixed him with a hard stare. “I don’t just say anything, Zuko. Not with you.”</p><p>“Why?” he asked her, confused, looking back up at her.</p><p>“I told you – I like you,” she repeated, taking a seat beside him. “I mean, if I’m being honest, at first it was because I didn’t care what you thought. Now, I still don’t worry about it, but that’s because you’ve never made me think I might have to. I can be myself around you.” Zuko nodded. He was surprised. He didn’t think he’d done much of anything. But…perhaps that was the point. Perhaps she was used to shocked and uncomfortable stares at her bluntness, her indifference and her at times downright dark observations. If her brother’s behaviour was anything to go by, it made sense for her to be wary. But Zuko had never been bothered by any of it, and he had made that clear to her…before going and screwing it up again by leaving, of course.</p><p>“I’m glad,” he ventured finally. “I don’t want you to think you have to put on an act around me. Because you don’t.”</p><p>“Thank you, Zuko,” Katara nodded. “I think that’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me.”</p><p>“It’s the truth.”</p><p>Katara chuckled lightly at him. “I believe you.” She sighed. “And just so you know, I didn’t want you to leave.”</p><p>“You…you didn’t? Why didn’t you say anything?”</p><p>“I literally asked you if you wanted in,” she reminded him, raising an eyebrow. Zuko looked sheepishly back at her before turning his head away again. “For what it’s worth, I actually like the idea of having you as my friend,” she told him honestly.</p><p>“You do?”</p><p>“Yeah. It just seems to me like we understand each other,” Katara replied. “You just…<em>get </em>me, you know? Or, you don’t care that I <em>am </em>me – you just take me as I am. And <em>you</em> make a lot more sense to me than anyone else.” She paused, pondering. “And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to walk away from that. I may be a psychopath, but even I can see that would be dumb.” She looked at him pointedly. To his annoyance, he flushed a light shade of pink, but if Katara noticed, she didn’t comment on it.</p><p>“I don’t either,” Zuko admitted. “I…I’m so sorry if I hurt you, Katara. Truly. I thought I was doing you a favour.”</p><p>“Then you’re an idiot,” Katara said bluntly, though not unkindly. “If I want a favour, I’ll ask for it.”</p><p>“Noted.” He smiled softly. Something strange was stirring in him. He felt…better. He felt lighter than he had in days. He felt a sense of relief sweep through him, slowly unknotting the tension he was so used to carrying that he wasn’t even aware of its burden until parts of it suddenly fell away. Katara <em>liked </em>him. She thought he was worth spending time with. She wanted to be around him. He didn’t understand why, but perhaps there didn’t need to be a reason. Perhaps that was just how friends were. He wouldn’t know. Katara was the first friend he had ever made. It had been different for Azula. She had gone to the Academy and mixed with other noble children, while Zuko, as the Crown Prince, had been privately tutored within the confines of the Palace.</p><p>Now that the confrontation was over, the relaxing, breezy mellowness slowly but surely took its firm yet tranquil hold on Katara. She breathed a sigh of satisfaction. She was undeniably content with how things had turned out. Zuko was an idiot…but an endearing idiot just the same. She was glad that her initial suspicions had been wrong. She wouldn’t have hesitated to do Zuko some serious damage if she’d had to, but she was grateful that she hadn’t. She <em>did </em>like him. And he was <em>very </em>cute when he was flustered, she remarked to herself. The look on his face when she had unmasked him…those wide eyes, that uncertain, pleading expression. She didn’t know why, but he reminded her of Momo when he had run around camp, apparently half-starved, begging for scraps. The thought made her chuckle.</p><p>On impulse, she leaned towards Zuko and rested her head on his shoulder. Zuko flicked his gaze over at her in surprise, but he didn’t mind the gesture. It was nice. As she sank into him, Katara realised that for all of their honesty, there was one thing she hadn’t told him, something that she had only truly worked out for herself when he’d left. She was more certain than ever now in what she wanted. Zuko could always say no, she decided. She wasn’t going to reach into her bag of tricks to try and persuade him otherwise. She just wanted to know.</p><p>“So, I have to ask,” Katara said absently, “if you hadn’t decided that stalking me was a good idea, what were you planning to do after you left?”</p><p>Katara’s head raised slightly as Zuko shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I still don’t, to be honest.”</p><p>“Well…you could always join me,” she suggested.</p><p>“Against the earthbenders?” Zuko checked, but continued before Katara could reply. “Sure. I won’t lie to you, Katara, I probably would have gone with you anyway. Even if you didn’t want me to.”</p><p>“Only probably?” Katara teased. “I thought you cared about me?”</p><p>Zuko looked down at her in alarm. “I – I <em>do </em>care,” he stuttered hurriedly. “I just-” He groaned when he saw the smirk on Katara’s face. She had been winding him up. Again. Of course she had. “I see you’re not going to stop being a pain in the ass just because we’re friends,” he sighed.</p><p>Katara barked out a laugh at that and shook her head. “Not a chance, firebender.”</p><p>“Fine, but I’m not going to stop throwing grass at you,” he muttered sulkily.</p><p>“I’d be disappointed if you did,” Katara retorted drily. She sighed, contemplating. “You <em>should </em>join me, you know,” she echoed. “If you want to, that is. I’d like it if you did. I won’t force you, of course. If you have things to do, go do them, but it doesn’t seem like you do. And take it from me, being a bounty hunter is a lot more satisfying than just wandering around.”</p><p>Zuko didn’t need convincing of that. He knew only too well how frustrating and despairing it could become. Katara had done very well to find something she enjoyed so much, and so quickly. If Zuko was being honest, despite the amount of grumbling from him at the time, taking on Gow and then Azula together <em>had </em>been satisfying. Especially Azula – it had been heartening to know he had someone in his corner, and he had to admit, Katara had been a spectacle to watch on both occasions. Not that that was important, he told himself quickly.</p><p>But…was she saying what he thought she was?</p><p>“What are you asking me, Katara?” he asked aloud, sounding almost afraid. If he was understanding Katara correctly…but he didn’t dare believe it. Or more accurately, he <em>shouldn’t </em>dare believe it. As if Katara could possibly want exactly what he wanted…</p><p>“I’m asking if you would like to team up with me,” she clarified calmly. “Become…hunting buddies or something, I don’t know. I’m sure you catch my drift.”</p><p> “You mean…you want to be…partners?”</p><p>“Oh, that’s a good word for it,” Katara nodded in approval. She sat up and turned to face him, her expression as sincere yet eager as Zuko had ever seen her. “Yes – I think we should be partners. We work well together and I like you. I’m assuming, if you think of me as a friend, you must also like me. So why not?” She paused, trying to gauge Zuko’s reaction, but he appeared to just be stunned. “It’s up to you,” she promised. “I won’t try to persuade you either way.”</p><p>She did…she actually did, Zuko realised. Things actually were…working out in his favour. He was getting what he wanted, and she wanted it, too. A sense of calm fell over Zuko as he thanked the spirits for taking mercy on him, for finally listening to him. And he thanked Katara…for everything.</p><p>“If you’re serious,” he began cautiously. Katara nodded. “I would…really like that.”</p><p>“Good,” Katara replied plainly. “So would I.”</p><p>To both of them, it seemed like a moment where they ought to do something, mark the occasion somehow, though neither of them were too sure as to how to go about that. Zuko settled for making a silent promise that he kept to himself. Katara figured perhaps they could have a toast when she next got her hands on a bottle of liquor.</p><p>Katara looked up above her. The sky had brightened while they had been talking and the sun was beginning to peek out over the thin cloud cover that remained. It was still early, she realised. There was still time to get something done. Not that the day had in any way been a waste so far. It had actually turned out to be quite fruitful. Just not in the way she had expected. She turned back to Zuko. Her new partner, she told herself. She liked it.</p><p>“Grab your swords,” she instructed, scrambling to her feet. “Let’s go get these fuckers and get out of here. This place sucks.”</p><p>Zuko smirked at her. “I couldn’t agree more.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>There you have it, folks. Katara interrogating Zuko was honestly way too much fun to write. I kind of felt like she really came into her own, and it's something that I will be using in future chapters. What did you think? Also, her Blue Spirit fight...this isn't a Blutara story and I don't currently anticipate the Blue Spirit making too many more appearances, but enough people mentioned it in their comments that I just couldn't resist the temptation ;)</p><p>About Katara comparing Zuko to Momo - you may recall from Chapter 3 that even though Momo is strange and climbs all over Katara, she still finds him endearing and she likes him, so Zuko reminding her of Momo is actually a really positive sign for our developing Zutara relationship. For the record, Katara wasn't manipulating Zuko at the end. She was in her mellow state and was being completely honest. I hope that came across right. (And yes, she does return the cloak)</p><p>It may be a while before Chapter 13 as I want to update my other story first, but please stick with me because it is coming. I have ZERO intentions of abandoning this fic. Writing them is honestly my favourite pastime at the moment. Until next time!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Wanted, Alive</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sokka and Aang make plans; Iroh runs into some trouble; and a merchant learns the hard way that escaping justice in Gaoling is no mean feat</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hello everyone! I am back with another update, and it's been less than a month. This pleases me and I hope it pleases you, too!</p>
<p>This chapter is, I think, a bit more light-hearted. It's not a "calm before the storm" situation but simply a reflection of the main protagonists, and I must admit, I did quite enjoy the change of pace.</p>
<p>There is some violence, but to be honest I'm not surprised at this stage - I seem to include a fight in nearly every chapter.</p>
<p>Anywho, without further ado, enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What’cha doing all the way over here, Snoozles?” Sokka looked up at the sound of his nickname – both he and Aang had quietly accepted their fates in that regard – and spotted the young earthbender padding her way towards him.</p>
<p>Before Sokka could even return her greeting, Toph plonked herself down beside where she sensed he was. She could tell that he was hunched over, and could hear his frustrated grunting all the way from the fire at the other side of the clearing. An easy, warm twilight had settled over the world, with the brightest stars just beginning to emerge as the sky slowly but steadily darkened above them. It would soon be too dark for Sokka to continue, he knew. Not that it made much difference at this stage. He had gone over the map so many times in recent days, he could probably draw it from memory. But still, each time they flew away to somewhere new, Sokka dutifully plotted their course and estimated their whereabouts, in an effort to at least attempt to track their progress to Ba Sing Se. Since being chased by Crazy Firebending Lady (who Sokka was <em>not </em>surprised to learn was related to Prince Pouty, or “Zuzu” as Aang had recounted to their amusement), Sokka had insisted that they not remain in any one place for too long. Partly to keep her off their trail, but also partly because Sokka was beginning to get anxious.</p>
<p>Sokka was genuinely delighted that he and Aang had found Toph and that Aang was learning another element, but spirits, he wished matters would move a bit more quickly. Despite having a sky bison at their disposal, and despite Sokka’s insistence that they needed to ‘keep moving’, they never seemed to get as far as Sokka would expect in a day. The yawning chasm between their current location and Ba Sing Se seemed to close only infinitesimally each time he unrolled the map – Ba Sing Se still looked to be half a world away. Sokka admitted he hadn’t properly accounted for Aang’s new lessons. Unlike with waterbending, where Aang had had to learn to rely on studying the scrolls gifted to him by Master Pakku and simply practising once they had made camp for the evening, his earthbending teacher was actually <em>there</em>. It made sense that they should stay on the ground for longer so that Aang could learn surrounded by the element he was attempting to master, and so Sokka hadn’t complained. As important as getting to Ba Sing Se and trying to persuade the Earth King to join them in bringing the fight to the Fire Nation was, the fact remained that they still probably didn’t stand a chance until Aang was a fully-realised Avatar. And he couldn’t be that without learning the elements, so Sokka accepted that the journey was simply going to take longer than he had originally calculated for.</p>
<p>Of course, just how they were expected to find Aang a firebending teacher was a mystery and another source of anxiety for Sokka, but he forced himself to quell it for now. They would have to worry about that when the time came. They had seen posters for Fire Nation fugitives, other than Prince Pouty and his uncle. It wasn’t completely beyond the realm of possibility that some may be in hiding in Ba Sing Se, one of the world’s last great sanctuaries from the war.</p>
<p>Life around their camp felt like it had much improved, though. Sokka believed he had done a reasonable job of, as he put it, “rallying the troops”, and had managed to whip Aang and even Toph into shape with regards to helping take care of themselves and each other. Toph, in particular, had been very resistant to being expected to help out. From her view, she carried her own pack, bent her own earth-tent and gathered her own food, so saw no need to contribute. At first, Sokka had allowed it. Provided Toph was willing to look out for herself, he saw no reason not to let her carry on with that. It wasn’t as if he and Aang hadn’t grown used to managing things between just the two of them anyway. But after their fretful night of being stalked, and after the confrontation in Tu Zin, Sokka had ardently put his foot down. From then on, he told Aang and Toph in no uncertain terms, they worked as a team. If the Southern Water Tribe had managed to all but scrape by on a hair’s breadth, it was <em>only</em> because <em>everyone </em>in the community contributed in some way or another, and that was how things were going to be here. Toph’s main role, of course, was to train Aang in earthbending; Aang’s main role was simply to learn and be the best student he could be in all his endeavours; and Sokka was the Ideas Guy in charge of logistics and planning. Everything else, however, was to be a collective effort. Sokka had even drawn up a Chores Chart on the back of the map to demonstrate how serious he was. That seriousness was largely lost on Toph, but it had seemed to motivate Aang.</p>
<p>Toph offered to start bending them all earth-tents, to save the boys the job of having to pitch the canvas tent every night, which both of them had gratefully accepted. Sokka also told Toph that if she wanted to continue gathering for her dinner, that was fine, but now she would have to gather enough for all three of them. Sokka continued to take charge of hunting, which was how he tended to spend his days when Aang and Toph were training, and he also took it upon himself to do the cooking. Partly because he didn’t trust Aang not to get distracted and burn everything, but also because he knew the young monk, as fond as he was of Sokka, would refuse to even <em>touch </em>meat. Instead, Sokka had assigned him the task of cleaning the pans and bowls at the end of each meal. Aang, though eager to help, had groaned at the prospect before Toph blithely pointed out that he could just use his bending – he did, theoretically, have all four of them under his control, after all. He could use waterbending to clean them in a quarter of the time, and then simply airbend them dry. Aang had quickly warmed up to the idea after that. But then deflated almost immediately when Sokka quickly worked out that those skills <em>also </em>meant Aang was the most qualified among their number to deal with dirty laundry.</p>
<p>“Hey, Toph,” Sokka greeted tiredly, rubbing his eyes. “I’m just going over the map. Working out where to go next.”</p>
<p>“Can I see?” Toph queried innocently.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Sokka quipped back, not missing a beat. “Can you?” Toph merely smirked at him and both of them began chuckling. “Nice try, Toph, but you can’t get me that easily!” he chided good-naturedly.</p>
<p>“I guess you were bound to stop falling for it after the first fifty times,” Toph grinned, punching him on the arm. Sokka winced but didn’t make a sound. The girl didn’t know her own strength sometimes, he remarked to himself. Or she did but found people’s reactions too amusing to do anything about it – either was entirely possible when it came to Toph.</p>
<p>“How’s training going?”</p>
<p>“Better,” Toph sighed. “Twinkletoes is picking up the moves fine now, but every time I suggest we spar, he just goes right back to airbending. It’s like he forgot everything I taught him.” Sokka nodded without thinking, before catching himself – seriously, he had <em>just </em>caught her trying to trap him – and then quickly hummed thoughtfully in acknowledgement. Toph didn’t say anything else, seemingly waiting for Sokka to reply. He sighed himself.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, Toph, but I’m really not sure what to suggest. I never had to train him.”</p>
<p>“I know,” Toph nodded. “I wasn’t expecting you to, really. I just needed to vent.” She shrugged, then turned to look at him, an unusually sombre expression on her face. “And I wanted to make sure you were okay. You’ve been really quiet today.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine, Toph,” Sokka said breezily. “Like I said, I’m just planning our next move. We’ve been here a couple of days already-”</p>
<p>“You’re thinking about Katara, aren’t you?” Toph interjected, not at all convinced by Sokka’s frankly feeble performance. Even if she couldn’t tell when people were lying by their heartbeats, Sokka’s voice had sounded strained. He had plenty to worry about, true – they all did – but Toph had spent enough time with the boys now to know when something was truly bothering them. They were both usually so full of energy and vim and laughter, but ever since Tu Zin, even Aang sometimes wandered off into a contemplative silence. That was the first sign something was wrong – when they went quiet. Toph had gleaned enough from Sokka’s reunion with his sister to understand exactly what had happened before they’d encountered Toph in Gaoling. His sister had apparently been a <em>very </em>different person when they’d all set off together from the South Pole, but something had changed and apparently neither of the boys had known how to deal with it. Twinkletoes kept going on and on about how kind and compassionate she had been, how gentle and doting, until she became mean and snarky and unsupportive of everything he tried to do. It must have been too much for him to handle because on more than one occasion whilst Toph had been trying to toughen him up during training, Aang had groaned that she sounded <em>just </em>like Katara. As if it were meant to be an insult and put Toph off, or at least discourage her from being so brash. Disappointingly for Aang, the comparison hadn’t put her off in the least. Those times, at least, Toph knew that Aang was just frustrated with himself more than anything, and didn’t threaten to walk away again. It helped that Aang always apologised wholeheartedly afterwards and told her she was a good teacher, he just wasn’t used to her methods. Toph silently mused that her methods were exactly what Aang needed at times because he sure as shit didn’t learn anything when he was being coddled.</p>
<p>She also began to understand more and more why Snoozles’ sister had decided she’d had enough and refused to come back with them. Toph wouldn’t have even given it a second thought, if only Snoozles hadn’t been so downcast and dejected…</p>
<p>
  <em>Toph sensed the siblings move from where she stood with Aang, the final word between them apparently having been spoken. Snoozles’ steps were leaden as he trudged back towards them. He was exhausted but it was pretty damn clear that it wasn’t just the lack of sleep or the battle that was weighing him down. Even his heartbeat felt slow and heavy when he reached them, coming to a stop beside Twinkletoes.</em>
</p>
<p><em>“She’s not coming,” Sokka mumbled defeatedly. Both he and Aang threw glances back at the waterbender over their shoulders as she calmly paced to an alley leading out of the village, presumably back to Hotpants. Toph hadn’t heard or felt him move since she’d returned to pull Twinkletoes away from the argument. He must have waited for her. Toph idly wondered if Hotpants was as foul-tempered with </em>her <em>as he had been with Toph. If he wasn’t, that may go some way to explaining why they had picked each other as companions. Not that Hotpants had bothered Toph. He had been rude and grouchy, sure, but as soon as he’d realised Toph wasn’t going to attack him, he had been no threat to her whatsoever. Judging by the stories of the tirelessly determined and violent Prince Pouty she had heard, she almost couldn’t believe that they were the same man. He had done little more than sulk and grunt at her, even when she’d bombarded him with questions.</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Toph decided she liked him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“So, what?” Aang asked, sounding confused. “What’s she going to do? Is she with Zuko now?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“It seems like it,” Sokka replied sadly.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Well, we can get her, Sokka!” Aang said brightly after a moment’s thought. Too brightly. “I know we’re all tired, but it’s only Zuko. We can take him, right, Toph?”</em>
</p>
<p><em>Toph bristled in protest. Yes, they could </em>easily <em>take him, but that didn’t mean they should. Snoozles’ sister had made her decision, and her decision was clearly to stay with Hotpants for whatever reason. Or at least, her decision was </em>not <em>to re-join her brother and Twinkletoes. After having spent so much of her life being told what to do and looked down upon as helpless because she was small and blind, it didn’t sit right with Toph that Twinkletoes was trying to take the choice away from the other girl. She opened her mouth to say just that, but Snoozles beat her to it.</em></p>
<p><em>“I know we can take him, Aang,” he sighed. “But we won’t be able to take </em>her <em>even if we fight them both. She doesn’t want to come.”</em></p>
<p>
  <em>“Why not?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Because I failed her,” Sokka whispered.</em>
</p>
<p>After that, Snoozles had fallen silent and the three of them had quietly ushered back to where Appa and Momo were waiting for them. Almost as soon as they had reached the sky bison, Momo had squawked excitedly and gone flying over to Sokka, climbing all over him and sniffing him curiously. The lemur looked around the rest of the group, seemingly trying to work something out, and then looked questioningly up at Sokka. Sokka had immediately understood.</p>
<p>“I know, buddy,” he had said calmly, cradling the lemur in his arms. “You miss her, too, huh?”</p>
<p>Snoozles had remained silent throughout their flight, Momo curled up in his lap, occasionally reaching into his pocket for the necklace that he always took with him everywhere he went. Toph hadn’t realised the significance of it before that day. She had assumed it was an heirloom, a small trinket that perhaps brought comfort to Sokka if he was feeling homesick. But as she and Twinkletoes had sat by the fire that night while Snoozles had made a show of furiously studying the map (much like he was doing tonight, in fact), Aang had explained that the necklace had belonged to Sokka and Katara’s mother. It had been passed to Katara after their mother had died, and then when Katara had left them, she had snuck it into Sokka’s pocket before disappearing from their lives.</p>
<p>Toph had asked Sokka that night, after Twinkletoes had curled up beside Appa to catch up on some sleep, what Sokka had meant by ‘failing’ his sister. He had admitted, sounding on the verge of tears, that he had made her feel like she wasn’t good enough, just because she was different from how she used to be. That was what had driven her away, and that was what had apparently driven her into the arms of their enemy.</p>
<p>“He wasn’t lying, you know,” Toph had told Sokka. “He really isn’t after Twinkletoes anymore. I sorta got the impression that they’re travelling together because they want to. I don’t think he’ll hurt her if that’s what you’re worried about.”</p>
<p>Sokka had earnestly tried to let that settle his nerves and his worries. Even Aang, after all, had mentioned that he’d seen Zuko help Katara up (admittedly after being the one to knock her down, but Aang had assured him that was an accident) and that they had been working together…but how was that seriously supposed to make Sokka feel better? Was it better that Katara was sticking with him of her own volition, knowing the number of times he had tried to capture or even kill them? It had to be better, surely, than Zuko holding her against her will and somehow compelling or threatening her to fight with him or do his bidding…</p>
<p>But what was Katara <em>thinking</em>? <em>Why </em>would she willingly stay with <em>Zuko</em>? It didn’t make any sense! None of it made sense! Were Sokka and Aang really that bad…had they been so terrible to Katara that <em>Zuko </em>seemed like the better option? Sokka had no idea and he couldn’t even ask her. He didn’t even know where she was now. If she was still with Zuko…if she was still <em>alive</em>. Sokka had to believe that she was, knowing he would completely crumble if he thought otherwise. He had to believe that she was okay…he had to have hope that once this fucking war was over, he would find a solution and help her. It was the only thing that kept him going at times. He tried to distract himself, as well as Toph and Aang, with his usual humour as often as he could, but sometimes the weight of worry, of grief, crushed him until he could barely think straight. It was times like those that he retreated to his map, away from the fire and the sound of carefree chatter emanating from his friends. Planning and plotting helped to clear his mind, even if it didn’t dispel his fears.</p>
<p>“I’m always thinking about Katara, Toph,” he eventually replied solemnly.</p>
<p>“I know you are,” Toph sighed. “But she’s a big girl, Snoozles. She seems tough. She can take care of herself. You always said she was good with that magic water of hers,” she joked lightly. Despite himself, Sokka chuckled.</p>
<p>“Actually, she was always good at soaking me with that magic water of hers,” Sokka clarified, smiling dimly at the memory. It hadn’t seemed fair to him that Katara was the one with the waterbending abilities and yet <em>Sokka </em>was always the one who had ended up wet! It didn’t seem fair that he was the one who’d had to bear the brunt of her inexperience at the time. Now, though, Sokka would gladly give up meat just to have Katara splash him again. “But don’t let her ever hear you call it that – she’ll probably whip you with it.”</p>
<p>“Ha! I’d like to see her try,” Toph smirked. “She’s never taken on the world’s greatest earthbender before.”</p>
<p>“Oh, now you’re the world’s greatest earthbender?” Sokka teased. “I thought you were just one of the best?”</p>
<p>Toph shrugged. “I’m teaching the Avatar now. I gave myself a promotion.” Sokka couldn’t help but laugh with her. He firmly liked Toph. She could be brash and rough around the edges, but fuck, she was also so funny! Aang had tried on multiple occasions to cheer Sokka up when he was feeling down, but he couldn’t make Sokka actually laugh like Toph could. Even though Toph was an only child, she seemed to have a better sense for what he was going through. Or at least, a better sense of what he needed. Aang just kept apologising, which was all very well and good, but it didn’t make Sokka feel any better. Seeing Katara in Tu Zin had squarely directed the blame away from the young boy in Sokka’s mind, after he’d had some time to decompress from the initial shock. Katara would have left anyway, he had come to realise. Her spat with Aang may have sped up her decision to go her own way, but in hindsight, Sokka could clearly see that Katara had been unhappy. She had seemed <em>much </em>brighter and calmer when he had seen her in Tu Zin. Clearly, the time apart had done her some good…though it broke Sokka’s heart to consider that it was time apart from <em>him </em>that had that rejuvenating effect on her. And he had been the one to tear it down again. He hadn’t noticed at the time, another mistake, too excited to see her again. But looking back, he could pinpoint exactly when it had shattered. And it had been entirely Sokka’s doing. It was something else he didn’t think he could ever forgive himself for. Katara hadn’t looked exactly <em>upset</em>, she had remained remarkably calm, but the difference in her entire demeanour had been palpable. Or would have been if Sokka hadn’t been too fucking <em>stupid </em>and stubborn to see it! “Stop beating yourself up, Snoozles,” Toph said, sensing his increasingly stressed heartbeat and breaking his reverie. “I can feel you brooding from here.”</p>
<p>“Sorry,” Sokka mumbled.</p>
<p>“I don’t want you to apologise,” Toph chastised him. “I want you to feel better.”</p>
<p>“I just miss her.”</p>
<p>Toph sighed. She wasn’t too certain what she could say to that. She could placate him by telling him that she was sure Katara missed him too, or perhaps Katara might catch up to them in Ba Sing Se, but how could Toph possibly know that? How could any of them know that? In theory, they could all be captured or taken out by the firebending lady before they even reached the city themselves. It was highly unlikely given that Toph was now amongst their number, but still. Snoozles had recounted that he had barely escaped the other two who had chased them. Snoozles had ultimately been saved by Appa flapping his enormous tail and blowing them into the river, where they were rapidly carried downstream by the current. Toph may not have joined the fight in the village until the very end, but she had heard and ‘seen’ enough to know that their pursuers weren’t to be taken lightly or underestimated. By the sound of things, the only reason Toph and Sokka hadn’t been too late to join the battle was because of Katara and Hotpants diverting the firebending lady’s (she really needed a nickname for her, Toph realised) attention away from Twinkletoes, and that hadn’t even been planned. It just went to show that anything could happen to them at any time. Sokka knew that, Toph was sure. He might receive the pointless platitudes gratefully, for Toph’s sake, but they wouldn’t help him in any way.</p>
<p>“I know you do,” she instead settled on, crawling closer to him and looping her arms through one of his. She sighed. “I’m not really sure what to say, though,” she admitted, absent-mindedly kicking the earth with her bare feet. “I don’t really know what it’s like.”</p>
<p>“You don’t miss your parents?”</p>
<p>“I miss my mom sometimes,” Toph confessed. “She was never as strict as my dad. I think she might have listened if it had been up to her. At least, I think I would have had a chance to explain my side of things.” Toph had no way of knowing for certain if that was true, but she liked to believe it. But that wasn’t the point, so she pressed on, “But I do know that leaving home was the best thing for me. I can’t imagine still being stuck there now, you know? And if that’s how your sister feels, I can kind of see where she’s coming from.” Sokka stiffened beside her and Toph squeezed his arm. “I’m not trying to upset you,” she said plainly. “But maybe wherever she is is just the best place for her to be. Like me with you guys. I’m sure <em>my</em> parents aren’t happy about it.”</p>
<p>“It’s just…really hard without her, Toph,” Sokka said thickly. He instinctively reached into his pocket and fished out the necklace. He closed his palm around it and squeezed. “Ever since…ever since our mother died, it’s always been me and Katara. Our dad left not too long afterwards. We had Gran-Gran, but…it was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess, but Katara? She had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by our mom.” He squeezed the necklace again, sniffing, and replaced it in his pocket. Toph said nothing, knowing Sokka wasn’t finished. He just needed a moment.</p>
<p>“Can I tell you something crazy?” he asked, sounding unusually shy. Toph nodded, listening. “I’ve never told anyone this before,” he confessed, “but…I’m not sure I can remember what my mother looked like.” Tears welled unbeckoned in his eyes and Sokka used his free hand to wipe them away furiously. Despite the crushing pain, though, he also thought he could feel a tendril of relief wending its way through the knots in his stomach and easing the burden on his chest. He took a deep breath and pressed on. “It really seems like my whole life, Katara’s been the one looking out for me. She’s always been the one that’s there. And now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara’s is the only face I can picture.”</p>
<p>A pregnant silence fell over them as Toph considered his words. She’d had no idea…had no sense of just how close Sokka had been to his sister. How much he had relied on her, not for the things she did around camp, but just because she was his sister. Toph thought she understood what Sokka was saying. It wasn’t that he was worried Katara might need him…he needed <em>her</em>.</p>
<p>“Did you ever tell her that?” Toph asked quietly.</p>
<p>“No,” Sokka replied. “Maybe I should have…but she’s my baby sister. I’m supposed to be her big brother looking out for <em>her</em>. I’ve let her down her whole life and I didn’t even realise it.”</p>
<p>“No, you didn’t,” Toph told him. “Letting her down would have been letting Twinkletoes take on Hotpants and drag her back with you. You did the right thing.” She snorted as an idea came to her. “Heh, she probably would have whipped <em>you </em>if you tried.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, probably,” Sokka smiled. “I don’t know. Maybe you’re right and she is where she needs to be. Maybe she is better off without us…”</p>
<p>“But that doesn’t make it any easier for you, does it?”</p>
<p>“No. It doesn’t...”</p>
<p>The two continued to sit together for a while that night, mostly in comfortable silence. It wasn’t long before Toph curled up against Sokka, her arms still looped through one of his, and drifted off to sleep, using his arm as her pillow. Sokka smiled fondly down at her. He didn’t mind at all. Katara had done that when they were younger. Especially after their mother died. If she was upset or had had a nightmare or was just cold bundled up alone in her furs, it was always Sokka’s warmth she had sought, rather than their grandmother or even their father before he left. Those were the times when Sokka felt like he was doing his job correctly. Those were the times when he was a big brother looking out for his baby sister, like he should be.</p>
<p>A renewed resolve began to brew in Sokka as he reminisced, and he rolled the map up and replaced it in his pack. He didn’t need it right now. He couldn’t even see properly now anyway. He looked over by the fire and spotted Aang asleep with one of Appa’s legs draped over him protectively. It had been a tiring day for him – Toph could be a bit of a drill sergeant during training apparently, much like Sokka had been with his own charges back home – but they <em>would</em> need to move on tomorrow. They would continue flying northwest, Sokka decided. Flying over the desert wasn’t ideal. Sokka was under no illusion that it would take a while and would force them to land and camp in a very inhospitable environment, but the alternative of simply skirting the desert would take three times as long. They would just have to risk it. It was also less likely that Crazy Firebending Lady would try to follow them that way, confined as she was to the ground. It didn’t matter how difficult or uncomfortable it would be, Sokka told himself. They would get through it and they would be one step closer to Ba Sing Se, one step closer to talking to the Earth King, one step closer to ending the war. And once the war was done, Sokka knew what he would be doing.</p>
<p>He would get those moments again. He would be her big brother again. He just had to be patient.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>They thought he was dead at first. They had found him quite by chance, although Colonel Mongke would never admit that. His portly form was slumped against a tree trunk, eyes closed, and his body appeared utterly vacant of all signs of life. Upon closer inspection, however, they realised that he was still breathing. Irritatingly, his nephew was nowhere to be seen, but Colonel Mongke fast decided that that wasn’t too much of an issue. Presenting only one traitor was better than presenting no prize at all. They could always come back for the Disgraced Prince later. It didn’t seem as though the two were even travelling together anymore in any event. The Disgraced Prince could be anywhere.</p>
<p>Assuming that Iroh was merely asleep, the team wasted no time in binding his wrists with rope while Kahchi prepared the remedy they would need to be able to transport him with the least difficulty. Ordinarily, they would need fireproof chains for such a prisoner, but the remedy was nothing short of miraculous at rendering such an expensive material obsolete. It was a concoction that was sometimes used by the Army when they were bringing in fugitives. Once the solution was ready, Kahchi poured it into a cup and brought it over to their prisoner. On cue, Colonel Mongke pinched Iroh’s nostrils closed, cutting off his air in a move that would force even the deepest of sleepers to open their mouths.</p>
<p>Just as Kahchi leaned in close with the cup, Iroh suddenly came violently to, shuddering and jerking, his eyes alight with shock. Before he could even take stock of his surroundings, Kahchi advanced and forced the liquid into his mouth, chuckling with amusement as the revered General Iroh choked the concoction down his throat. Once he swallowed, Colonel Mongke released his nostrils. Iroh blinked a couple of times, waiting for his interlocutors to come into focus. He was breathing heavily and overcome with the urge to clutch his chest, when he realised that his hands were bound. That had been close. Too close.</p>
<p>He had once again entered the deep meditative state required to walk the spirit planes, and he had been idly wandering beside his nephew and his companion as they rode, completely invisible and undetectable by either of them. Zuko, as his nephew was wont to do, was scowling for seemingly no reason, and Iroh had chuckled as Katara took notice and began teasing him. She had called him Prince Pouty…oh spirits, that was an absolute treasure!</p>
<p>And then he had observed Zuko scowl more deeply before he impulsively reached down and ripped up some of the long grass that they were riding through. Iroh had watched in surprise and delight as his nephew had then casually tossed it at Katara, catching her off-guard. She had brushed her hand through her hair, confused, and then smirked when she saw the tufts of green that pulled away with her fingers. Iroh had silently chuckled along with her. Iroh, for his part, almost couldn’t believe it. He had expected Zuko to snap or to rage at her, maybe even blast a fireball into the air in his frustration. He hadn’t expected Zuko to retaliate so good-humouredly. Iroh didn’t think he could remember the last time his beloved nephew had just been…playful, absent anger. It had been a wonderful, heart-warming sight to behold...</p>
<p>But then he had sensed a disturbance around his body. They had to be a good distance away by now, and Iroh could already feel his spirit yearning to pull back to his physical form. It wasn’t good to be separated from his body for so long, or over such a distance. It was different for the Avatar, but Iroh was just a human being. Before he could summon himself back, however, Iroh had felt his lungs begin to squeeze painfully, and he began coughing, even in his spirit form. The shock from the sudden lack of air had ripped him jarringly back to his body, where he was now greeted by the not entirely welcome sight of the Rough Rhinos standing over him. He recognised them straightaway – their leader had served under him once.</p>
<p>After being forced to swallow the remedy, Iroh could instantly tell that it was intended to block his chi and dampen his firebending. It was a diabolical mixture, and with a truly horrid taste. He had never used it himself during his tenure as a general, but he had known of its existence. Strangely, it only seemed to work on firebenders. The mixture had been trialled on some earthbender prisoners, but it did little more to them than bring about a strong fatigue.</p>
<p>Despite the situation, Iroh smiled at the men who sought to capture him. “Colonel Mongke!” he greeted cheerfully. “What a pleasant surprise!”</p>
<p>“If you’re surprised we’re here, then the Dragon of the West has lost a few steps,” Mongke sneered.</p>
<p>“Well, old age isn’t kind to anyone,” Iroh chuckled amiably. “I must admit, I thought you might have retired by now. You all have such beautiful singing voices, as I recall.” The Rough Rhinos all exchanged uncertain glances. “I think the lifestyle would suit you,” Iroh beamed. “I’d be happy to offer assistance if you-”</p>
<p>Colonel Mongke glared at him. “We’re not here to give a concert!” he spat. “We’re here to apprehend a fugitive!”</p>
<p>“You can’t possibly mean me?” Iroh gasped in surprise. “Why, I am just a doddery old man! Not worth bothering with, really.”</p>
<p>“I think we’ll let the Fire Princess decide that,” Kahchi interjected, smirking.</p>
<p>“Oh, you have seen my niece?” Iroh chirped brightly. “How is she? It has been so long since we’ve caught up.”</p>
<p>“Shut up!” Mongke snapped. “You’ll get your reunion, don’t worry. But first, I have some questions for you.” He stepped up to Iroh, who was still huddled on the ground, and glared fiercely down at him, in an effort to be intimidating. “Where is the Prince?”</p>
<p>“Why, you’re looking at him!” Iroh chuckled. Technically, although no-one ever addressed him by that title, Iroh <em>was </em>still a prince. Ozai may have stolen the throne from under him during the most turbulent period of Iroh’s life, but he had never stripped him of his title or his royal right to reside in the Palace. But by then, everyone knew him as General Iroh or the Dragon of the West, and those were the names that had stuck. Given the Fire Nation’s military proclivities, it wasn’t too surprising.</p>
<p>Suddenly, Mongke drew a blade and held it to Iroh’s throat. The smile fell off Iroh’s face as he watched his former comrade warily.</p>
<p>“Don’t get smart with me!” Mongke said venomously. “You know who I mean! Where is that failure of a nephew of yours?”</p>
<p>“I regret to confess I do not know,” Iroh responded measuredly, still eyeing the knife. Mongke smirked as the great general began to quake underneath his steely gaze. He really <em>was </em>weak. It was despicable. There had been a time when everyone in the Fire Nation military had looked up to General Iroh, when it had been considered an honour of the highest degree to serve under their Crown Prince. But looking at him now, Mongke could clearly see it was some time since Iroh had commanded that level of respect. He had lost all his drive, all his ambition when the throne had been taken from him. Looking at Iroh now, it was clear that Fire Lord Ozai had acted in their country’s best interests, Mongke reflected. The Fire Nation would have collapsed under the ineptitude of this pathetic, shrivelled man’s weakness otherwise. “We split up a few weeks ago,” Iroh lamented, casting his gaze downwards. “I have not seen him since.”</p>
<p>“I don’t believe you!” Mongke shouted.</p>
<p>“There is no need to yell,” Iroh chided good-naturedly. “I may be old but I still have excellent hearing.” He shook his head reproachfully. “And be that as it may, I am telling you the truth. I have not been travelling with my nephew for some time. He thought he was better off without me. He was probably right,” Iroh suddenly chuckled. "I would have only slowed him down. Old age isn’t kind to anyone.”</p>
<p>“You said that already,” Mongke groaned.</p>
<p>“Oh, did I?” Iroh said, suddenly seeming forlorn and confused. “Oh, dear. It’s so hard to keep track of everything these days…”</p>
<p>Mongke scoffed with exasperation. Agni, it was worse than he had thought! It was well known that the great Dragon of the West had lost his physical prowess a long time ago, but clearly his mind was on its way out as well. It was almost sad…but Mongke didn’t give a shit about that. It was what happened. The elderly aged and grew infirm in both body and mind, while the young rose up to take their place. That was the way it had always been. It was actually rather humbling to know that such afflictions affected royalty as much as the common man. Not that Mongke regarded himself as common. He had seen to that by rising through the ranks of the military, and been honourably discharged when he and his comrades had banded together and vowed to continue to serve the Fire Nation as mercenaries – being freelance gave them much more scope to manoeuvre around the Earth Kingdom unhindered.</p>
<p>No, this was something that Mongke and his team were more than happy to use to their advantage. If the general was this out of it already, transporting him would be deliciously simple. And the <em>reward </em>for turning in such a high-value target…that would be enough for them to retire if they so chose. But Mongke had no intention of doing that, at least not yet. He thought he could make one final bid for glory before hanging up his sword. He had the general in his custody already. Once they handed him over, the Rough Rhinos would simply begin their quest anew. Handing over the traitor general would garner them enough to return to the Fire Nation and live simple lives…but handing over <em>both </em>the traitor general and the Disgraced Prince ought to buy him a mansion on Ember Island.</p>
<p>He smirked and gave his team their orders. Between them, they picked up Iroh, who had by now begun groaning and attempting to rub his head, seeming dazed. They carried him over to where their komodo-rhino mounts waited and hauled him atop one of the saddles. It wasn’t ideal for such a precious target, but it would have to do. They had long abandoned the cage they used to drag with them everywhere, finding it to be too cumbersome to be worth the effort. There was no need for it. They had a plentiful supply of the remedy needed to neutralise firebending fugitives, and no-one else was worthy of the hassle of the cage. No-one else posed that much of a threat. Fire was by far the strongest element, after all.</p>
<p>In a shred of kindness that surprised both Iroh and Mongke’s men, the Colonel insisted that they perch Iroh upright as they travelled. They knew that he was wanted by the Fire Nation, but he couldn’t be certain in what condition it would be acceptable for them to hand him over. Likely, Fire Lord Ozai, or even Princess Azula, would want to punish him and the Disgraced Prince themselves. It wouldn’t do to incur their wrath by treating Iroh too roughly and risk losing their reward.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>As Sokka had planned, the next morning he and his friends cleared away their camp, loaded their belongings onto Appa, and took flight once more. Fortunately, they hadn’t encountered Crazy Firebending Lady once since she had chased them through the night, but Sokka was convinced that it was partly thanks to his strategizing. They never stayed anywhere for more than two days at his insistence, and part of Aang’s new routine around camp was grooming and bathing Appa on a regular basis. As it was springtime, Appa continued to shed, and both Aang and Sokka set to work on the task as and when it was needed. Since Aang could use his waterbending, that meant Sokka was often relegated to brushing any excess, loose clumps of fur from the massive sky bison once he had had his bath. Although Sokka liked to grumble about it, he didn’t really mind. The shared task had given him and Aang plenty of chances to talk and the easy camaraderie they had used to enjoy was noticeably being built back up as they worked together. It still felt strange and wrong to keep going about their mission without his sister, but Sokka had forgiven Aang for his part in it. The boy had enough burdens to shoulder already – Sokka knew that it wasn’t fair to project his own guilt about Katara onto Aang as well. All the same, Sokka felt somewhat heartened knowing that, for all the harsh words they had exchanged, the airbender missed her, too.</p>
<p> As they flew, Sokka once again unrolled his map, occasionally peering over the edge of the saddle at the horizon, hoping to spot any landmarks that might pinpoint their location more accurately. Toph dozed quietly on the other side of the saddle. Or, he thought she was dozing – she might just be fighting off the waves of nausea that plagued her when they travelled. Sokka felt for her, and wished that there was more he could do, but he didn’t dare attempt anything without speaking to her first. Not after last time… He had once tried swaddling Toph in a roll of tarp as a makeshift blanket, in the hopes that it might soothe her. Growing up in the South Pole, it was what Gran-Gran had used to do for Sokka and Katara when they fell sick. Before Gran-Gran, it had been their mother. But the earthbender, it had transpired, did <em>not</em> appreciate being swaddled with no warning, and after much flapping and cursing that belied Toph’s noble background, Sokka had very quickly learned his lesson.</p>
<p>On a completely unrelated note, the group could also no longer count tarp among their possessions.</p>
<p>“Hey, Sokka?” Aang called, clambering from Appa’s neck back into the saddle. “Can you steer for a while? I want to check something on the map.”</p>
<p>Sokka raised his eyebrows in surprise and smiled. “Sure thing, Aang!” he agreed heartily, and the two swapped positions. As Sokka took the reins, he heard for the first time the faint sounds of groaning rising up from the small earthbender. Sokka twisted his head around and realised she had shifted from lying on her side to crouching on all fours, hunched over with her forehead resting on the base of the saddle. Sokka sighed, welling up with sympathy for his young friend. He switched his focus to the horizon, scanning all around them. Ahead and below, a vast ocean of gold and brown shifted with the wind. The landscape was piled with sandy hillocks and mountainous-looking dunes, even from up in the air. They were well and truly in the desert now, Sokka realised. It was a far cry from the rocky, albeit sparse, landscape they had left just this morning. They hadn’t covered the distance Sokka had wanted for the sake of his schedule, but…looking at Toph and watching her silent struggle, Sokka just didn’t have the heart to force her to carry on. It wasn’t always this bad…they could make up for it tomorrow. Aang probably needed a lesson anyway.</p>
<p>“You know, I think we’ve probably flown far enough for today,” Sokka announced suddenly. “I’ll find somewhere we can land. You guys will want to train anyhow.” His declaration was met with a chirpy affirmative from Aang and a weak thumbs-up from Toph. Sokka grinned at the gesture and began guiding Appa downwards.</p>
<p>Toph perked up almost as soon as they landed, and she slid haplessly down Appa before either Sokka or Aang even had a chance to stand up and stretch. Toph hit the ground with a light thump and began her usual ritual of hugging and stroking the earth, loudly singing its praises as Sokka and Aang began unloading their camping gear.</p>
<p>“Toph?” Sokka said. “Once you’re done, um, reacquainting yourself with the ground, do you think you’d be up for training Aang today?”</p>
<p>Toph smirked. “I’m <em>always </em>up for battering Twinkletoes with boulders!”</p>
<p>“That’s the spirit,” Sokka replied cheerfully, both of them ignoring Aang’s indignant outburst of ‘hey!’</p>
<p>But even as he said it, Aang grinned. This was good. This was relaxed. This was how things should be. Seeing Katara again…like that… To see her so violent, so cold…and then to turn around and run off with <em>Zuko </em>of all people! When had they even become friends?</p>
<p>It had shaken Aang, he couldn’t deny it. And even though it didn’t seem like it sometimes, Aang <em>knew </em>the effect it had on Sokka. It made Aang feel especially grateful for Toph. He had noticed how close Sokka and Toph had become, and he was overjoyed to see Sokka slowly reverting back to his jovial, goofy self. He also knew that whenever Toph went over to speak to Sokka in private, those were times she had sensed his distress, and he knew well enough to leave them be. Whatever they talked about, it seemed to be helping Sokka, and Aang owed a <em>lot </em>to Sokka. He hadn’t realised just how much until Sokka had angrily confronted him after his argument with Toph. He’d had no idea that Katara had given Sokka the choice of staying with her or staying with Aang…and Sokka had chosen Aang. Aang knew it was out of a sense of duty because Aang was the Avatar, rather than that their friendship was just so strong, but all the same, it had simultaneously warmed his heart and made his blood turn to ice in his veins.</p>
<p>It was the same feeling he’d experienced when he had realised that his absence had allowed war to wage for a century. His absence had allowed the Fire Nation to completely wipe out his people…or at least, that was how it appeared. So far, Aang had only had the chance to visit the Southern and Northern Air Temples. He hadn’t completely lost hope that there may yet be pockets of airbenders hiding around the world. Perhaps long enough had passed that some may have even sought refuge in the Eastern and Western Air Temples again? The Fire Nation wouldn’t think to look for them anymore. Until a few months ago, the world hadn’t even had a last airbender. They were just gone from the face of the earth as far as the people were concerned. But Aang had survived. It wasn’t completely out of the question to believe that others of his kind might have simply hidden in plain sight, even for a century. Anything was possible.</p>
<p>Aang clung to that hope like the sun clung to the sky. It was the only thing that stopped the looming spectre of guilt from pouncing and devouring him whole sometimes. Before Katara had…changed, she was the one Aang had confided in. She was the one who told him that the fate of the Air Nomads wasn’t his fault. That even if Aang had been there, he would have still only been a fourteen-year-old boy, a fledgling Avatar. There was no guarantee that Aang wouldn’t have also succumbed in the massacre. And spirits, if the Fire Nation had managed to trigger his Avatar State…the words of Avatar Roku rang hollowly in his ears. When an Avatar passed, the Avatar spirit would ordinarily move on to a bender in the next nation in the cycle. But if Aang was killed whilst in the Avatar State, Roku had warned him that the reincarnation cycle would be broken and the Avatar would never be reborn. Aang sometimes questioned how he was supposed to be able to deal with it <em>now</em> – he was, after all, still a fourteen-year-old boy. But Katara, <em>his </em>Katara not Imposter Katara, had gently pointed out that Aang wouldn’t be alone, and he wouldn’t only have his airbending to rely on. It was true that Aang could command all the elements whilst in the Avatar State, regardless of what he himself had learned, but that of course came with the danger that if the Fire Lord struck at the right time, it wouldn’t just be Aang who fell in battle. It would be the world’s last hope for peace. The <em>very </em>last…because the Avatar wouldn’t return. It wouldn’t be a case of seeking out the next Avatar and waiting for them to come of age…that would be <em>it</em>. Done. No more Avatar…</p>
<p>The thought terrified him at times, and he sometimes itched to just jump onto his glider and fly alongside Appa to a place far, far away and just <em>wait </em>until he was older and more experienced before tackling the threat. But Aang knew he couldn’t do that. Not with Sozin’s Comet approaching. He had let everyone down once. He wouldn’t do it again. He was completely committed to his role now. His waterbending was coming along in leaps and bounds, and he and Toph had gotten over their rocky start at instruction and found an equilibrium that worked for them.</p>
<p>But despite the enormity of the task that lay ahead, Aang saw no reason why he and his friends couldn’t enjoy a little fun on their journey. He had had the idea earlier, once he’d realised that they had reached the desert, and as he had pored over the map, his face had lit up with glee. He was sure that even Sokka would warm to the notion, as long as he promised it wouldn’t interfere with his earthbending lessons…too much.</p>
<p>“So, guys, I’ve been thinking,” Aang began that night as they were finishing off their dinner. “I looked over the map earlier and I realised we were close to somewhere…pretty special.”</p>
<p>Sokka eyed him suspiciously. “Why do I feel like you’re about to tell me I’m going to have to change my schedule again?”</p>
<p>“It’s for a good cause!” Aang promised.</p>
<p>“Go on…” Sokka prompted sceptically.</p>
<p>“Well, it’s for morale!” Aang beamed brightly. “I…I just want you both to know, I know it’s been difficult sometimes. Especially for you, Sokka,” he said, facing his friend head-on, his expression one of sorrow. “I know how much you miss her,” he told Sokka solemnly. “I do, too. But I’ve thought of something that might help cheer us up. Have you guys ever heard of singing beaver-moles?”</p>
<p>Both Toph and Sokka gaped at him incredulously. What the…singing beaver-moles? What in the blazing spirits was he on about?!</p>
<p>“Oh yeah, they popped up all the time in the South Pole,” Sokka remarked sarcastically. “Of <em>course</em> I haven’t, Aang! What does that have to do with anything? We <em>need </em>to get to Ba Sing Se so we can talk to the Earth King and start planning!”</p>
<p>“And we will!” Aang insisted. “I swear it won’t take long. It’ll be a really quick detour. A day tops. Think of it like a…a…mini-vacation!” Aang concluded triumphantly. “And it won’t just be for me! You can pick somewhere, too!”</p>
<p>Toph grunted and blew an errant tuft of hair from her face when it began tickling her nose. “Suits me,” she shrugged. It wasn’t as if Twinkletoes was going to get out of training either way…even if their mini-vacation did mean they might have to contend with whatever the fuck “singing beaver-moles” were.</p>
<p>Aang nodded gratefully at her, before peering hopefully at Sokka. The Water Tribesman’s brow was furrowed, deep in thought.</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Sokka hummed contemplatively. “Well, if you’re sure it won’t take long…”</p>
<p>“Absolutely!” Aang promised, his eyes lighting up with excitement. Sokka was swaying, he could see it. “And there was somewhere else I had in mind, too.”</p>
<p>“Aang!” Sokka ranted, exasperated, but remained quiet and watched as Aang dug the map out of Sokka’s pack and spread it out between them. Aang lifted a finger and placed it squarely on a marked settlement ringed by the southern reaches of the Si Wong Desert. Sokka bent down to get a closer look. “The Misty Palms Oasis?” he read aloud, looking at Aang for guidance. Aang beamed at him.</p>
<p>“See, it’s on the way!” Aang insisted cheerfully. “This place is amazing! It’s got a natural ice spring, even though it’s in the desert! I never went but Monk Gyatso told me all about it. I’ve always wanted to see it for myself. I was…I was also thinking…” Aang’s smile suddenly fell and his face took on a more sombre expression. “…that…maybe this was somewhere Katara might like,” he ventured shyly. Sokka’s gaze hardened. “I thought we could go visit it for her…sort of like a…a tribute. Even if she’s not travelling with us, she’s still part of the team, right?”</p>
<p>Sokka nodded slowly, considering. It was certainly a touching gesture, if it was sincere. Which knowing Aang, it was. And Aang was right – if Katara <em>were </em>with them, the Misty Palms Oasis was exactly the kind of fancy, magic-watery place she would pick. And it was kind of on the way, as Aang had said…they’d probably need to make a pit stop to replenish their supplies before crossing the desert proper in any event.</p>
<p>Making a snap decision, Sokka nodded. “Yeah, okay, Aang,” Sokka said, smiling warmly at the young airbender. “That’s a really nice idea. We’ll go see your singing badger-moles-”</p>
<p>“<em>Beaver</em>-moles,” Aang corrected kindly.</p>
<p>“Singing <em>beaver</em>-moles,” Sokka sighed, though smirking, “tomorrow, and then we’ll head to the Misty Palms Oasis. We can probably get some food there as well, before we hit the middle of the desert.”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan!” Aang beamed.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>Their prisoner was an utter nightmare. The worst prisoner that Colonel Mongke and his men had ever transported. Not in the sense that he gave them trouble or tried to escape. No, the so-called Dragon of the West was every bit the doddery old man he had claimed to be when they first found him. But apparently, part of being a doddery old man who was losing his mind meant following the inclination to burst out into fucking <em>song</em> whenever the mood took him.</p>
<p>“It’s a long, slow march<br/>To Ba Sing Se<br/>To Ba…Sing…Se</p>
<p>“We’ll need a trusted friend<br/>To guide the way<br/>To guide…the…way</p>
<p>“And when the high, high <em>walls</em>-”</p>
<p>“Will you <em>shut up</em>?!” Colonel Mongke snapped for what had to be the tenth time that day. That <em>day</em>. Behind him in the saddle, Iroh jolted at the venom in his tone and shrank back, at last falling silent. But if the previous few days were anything to go by, Colonel Mongke knew the blessed relief from the old man’s ramblings wouldn’t last long. They had had the disgraced former general in their custody for a little over a week now, and he was grating on Mongke’s last nerve. Thankfully, the singing had only started the day before. No, prior to that, the General had felt the need to wail and moan in between talking their ears off about tea and lamenting the loss of “music nights”, which unfailingly led to him asking them if they could indulge an old man with a song request before sending him to certain doom.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Iroh offered, sounding dazed. “I just thought it would be a nice way to pass the time.”</p>
<p>“The time would pass even nicer if you <em>kept your mouth shut</em>!” Mongke retorted viciously. But this time, Iroh didn’t shrink back. He simply shook his head at him, muttering under his breath about ‘such anger’ and ‘beautiful voice, though’. Mongke ignored him. He glanced up at the sun, checking its position. It wouldn’t be long now before their prisoner would be due another dose. That, at least, seemed to subdue him. Especially after Kahchi had acquiesced to Iroh’s request to allow him a cup of tea to wash the foul mixture down with. Mongke had allowed it, but only because it seemed to make their prisoner fall blissfully quiet for a spell. Mongke had tried gagging him, but then the old man had just started humming loudly, at a pitch that was somehow much more irritating and grating than his ceaseless prattle. Although Mongke always felt a swell of pride and glee when he turned a prisoner over for a well-earned reward, getting this particular prisoner off their hands would be a bloody good reward in itself!</p>
<p>Iroh continued talking to himself quietly as they rode, but it was a vast improvement on the singing, so Mongke let it go. He could make out odd bits here and there – Ba Sing Se, tea, what tea would be like in Ba Sing Se and other such trifling nonsense. He paused when he heard the general mutter something about the failed siege, however. As he strained to listen, he realised it sounded very much like Iroh was discussing battle plans with himself, on the best way to bring down the outer wall. As if his siege had never been broken. As if he still believed he could yet achieve that victory and claim the Earth Kingdom capital in the name of Fire Lord Azulon, now passed. Mongke merely shook his head, despairing of the old man. He had been truly great once. What a waste.</p>
<p>As Iroh muttered, he risked a quick glance at the Colonel. He spotted the other man glaring at him in disbelief as he continued to ramble, before shaking his head and turning back around. Iroh allowed himself a small smirk. He would be ready to make his move soon. He had allowed his façade as an easy, confused captive to go on long enough. They were far enough away now. They were well out of range for Iroh to be able to walk the spirit planes in search of his nephew, even at night whilst his wardens snored loudly. As much as that troubled Iroh, it also offered him a drop of relief. Because if he was too far away to easily track Zuko down, that meant so were the Rough Rhinos. Iroh knew he would just have to trust that Zuko would be okay with Katara in the meantime, until he could find him again. They had certainly seemed in relatively high spirits when he had been wrenched back to his body.</p>
<p>Iroh hadn’t had the chance to study any maps recently, but he knew roughly where they were. They were travelling north, the complete opposite direction to Zuko and Katara. Iroh knew that their destination was Gaoling, although for what reason he wasn’t sure. Iroh had harboured a hope that when they all got there, Iroh may have been able to “accidentally” encounter his nephew by pure chance in the city. Even if Zuko decided he still didn’t want his uncle around, it would be good to see him in person again. To touch him, to hold him…to make sure he knew that even though Ozai was a despicable bastard, Zuko was still loved like a son. He couldn’t ever do that with Lu Ten again. It broke Iroh’s heart that it had been his words, which he had only meant to encourage Zuko towards the right path, that had driven Zuko away from him. He took some solace from the fact that Zuko was with Katara, though. That Zuko had found a friend he felt he could trust amidst a sea of enemies.</p>
<p>But there was very little chance of Iroh reuniting with his nephew anytime soon. Even if Zuko ended up settling in Gaoling for a long time, it would be a while before Iroh would be able to make the journey himself. Once he was free from the Rough Rhinos, he couldn’t risk leading them to Zuko, so Iroh would have to continue in the wrong direction for a while until he was certain they were off his trail. But given how far north they had travelled astride the surprisingly fast komodo-rhinos, Iroh suspected he may not need to handle everything on his own this time…</p>
<p>The convoy pulled to a halt a short while later at Colonel Mongke’s command. Iroh knew what this meant. He could already feel his inner fire roaring to life within him, setting his very blood aflame with a potent, pulsing energy. The concoction they had given him this morning had worn off. It was time for a top-up. And time for Iroh to put his plan of escape into action.</p>
<p>Colonel Mongke and Yuh-Leh were surprisingly gentle with Iroh as they slid him off the mount and propped him up against a tree. Kahchi, as per usual, was preparing the remedy. The moment was imminent, Iroh knew.</p>
<p>He cleared his throat loudly. “Ooh, travelling is such thirsty work!” he cried dramatically, to unimpressed stares from the company. “I don’t suppose I could trouble you for a cup of tea? That remedy you want me to drink is vile.”</p>
<p>“We know,” Mongke groaned, even as he nodded at Kahchi to prepare a pot alongside the remedy. “You’ve said that every time.”</p>
<p>“Oh, have I? I’m sorry – it’s so hard to-”</p>
<p>“Keep track of everything, we know!” Mongke growled. Oh, he really couldn’t <em>wait </em>to hand the former general over. He imagined even the unflappable Princess Azula would be driven to distraction by this old fool’s nonsense!</p>
<p>Once the drinks were prepared, Kahchi brought two cups over to Iroh, one steaming with a pleasant aroma of jasmine wafting from the rim, and the other cold and uninviting. “Ah, thank you, young Kahchi!” Iroh said pleasantly as Kahchi placed both cups into Iroh’s outstretched hands. “You are kind to an old man.” Kahchi frowned at him in response, while Iroh merely beamed back. It was time.</p>
<p>“I wonder,” Iroh pondered innocently, “Have you boys ever heard how I got the nickname the Dragon of the West?”</p>
<p>The Rough Rhinos traded suspicious glances, before Mongke snapped, “Just drink your tea, old man! We’re not interested in more of your damn stories!”</p>
<p>Iroh nodded. Oh well, it was their loss. It was really more of a demonstration anyway.</p>
<p>As was the routine, Iroh upended the cup containing the remedy first, grimacing as he pretended to swallow the bitter liquid under their watchful gazes. Almost immediately, as Iroh had again made sure was known as his custom, he then upended the cup containing the tea…</p>
<p>General Iroh’s breath of fire was truly an impressive sight to behold, a spectacle that not even his former junior, Colonel Mongke, had ever been privy to. It was a slightly less impressive sight when the flames were being breathed disturbingly close, however, and all four of Iroh’s captors quickly dove to the ground as Iroh’s machinations got underway. Iroh wasted no time in taking the opportunity to then burn his way out of his bonds, and he punched out a series of fireballs, one aimed at each of the men who sought to bring him and his nephew to harm. As he glared down at them, gone was the kindly, confused man they had had to put up with. In his place stood the snarling Dragon of the West, every bit the revered general as which he had once been celebrated.</p>
<p>None of the four could say for certain what had happened afterwards. It had all passed in an adrenaline-fuelled frenzy and it had been nigh on impossible to keep up with the lightning-speed of Iroh’s attacks, and the sheer ferocity with which he threw off their attempts at subduing him. By the time they all came to, blinking and groaning with pain and exertion, they noticed to their chagrin and dismay that neither their mounts nor their prisoner were anywhere to be seen.</p>
<p>Indeed, Iroh had made good headway astride his stolen mount by the time the Rough Rhinos regained consciousness. Iroh had warded off the other mounts before galloping away, though he knew that would only keep them at bay for so long. Komodo-rhinos were fierce and vicious, but also incredibly loyal to the hands that fed them. It would only be a matter of time before their masters were able to round them back up, if the creatures didn’t return of their own volition, but Iroh was confident he had put enough distance between them to get away. He had also ensured to help himself to a supply of feed to keep his creature on-side.</p>
<p>Iroh knew he had a tough journey ahead of him and he wouldn’t have much opportunity to rest, but his plan had so far gone off without a hitch. He just had to keep going, and at least this time he knew where he was aiming for. A place where he could seek refuge and assistance, both for himself and for his nephew. Thanks to his escorts, Iroh was already relatively close to his destination, so he wasn’t too worried. It couldn’t be more than a day or two’s ride to the Misty Palms Oasis from here.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>Ming smirked to himself as he unhurriedly followed the road, leaving the city of Gaoling behind him. He was on his way to the harbour town that also served as the city’s port, where he knew there would be a ship docked and waiting for him to come aboard and claim his berth. It had all been arranged only a few days ago, and the captain had assured him the boat wouldn’t leave without him. Ming should certainly hope not – he had paid the man an exorbitant fee, to ensure his silence as well as passage.</p>
<p>Part of Ming still couldn’t quite believe how stupidly easy it had been to slip away unnoticed. It was the fault of the authorities he had even had the option. His crime wasn’t deemed serious enough to keep him locked up before they could prove his guilt, and so he had been allowed to remain at liberty until his trial, albeit on the strict condition that he had to report to the local guards on a daily basis to prove that he was still in the city. He’d sneered at that – as if anyone in their right mind would just sit idly awaiting judgement – but faithfully returned to the barracks each and every morning, just to keep them off his back until he could make the necessary arrangements. The boat for which he was bound would be sailing to the far north of the Earth Kingdom. It took a day to reach the port, even with the good road linking the harbour to the city, but Ming had deliberately reported in the mornings, and had deliberately allowed the soldiers to believe that that was his routine.</p>
<p>Ming had lived in Gaoling all his life. He had plenty of friends and plenty of contacts who could help him. Indeed, one such contact had been the one to put him in touch with the captain. Another such contact had then been paid handsomely to create a distraction near the South Gate, one large enough that it drew the guards away and allowed Ming enough time to leave the city unquestioned and undeterred whilst they dealt with the brawl that had unexpectedly broken out. And because it was still morning, Ming knew he would be able to travel safely by daylight, largely in the open, because no-one would be looking for him yet. No-one would even notice his absence until the next morning when he failed to report. They’d send a notice out, but any bounty hunters who took an interest wouldn’t know where to start looking. He would have long sailed away by the time anyone thought to search the port for him…</p>
<p>He smirked again. His plan was foolproof and he felt extremely satisfied at how it had turned out. And what a glorious day it was for an escape, he observed smugly. The spirits themselves had ordained that he should have safe and free passage from the rusty wheels of justice that made Gaoling spin to the tune of the rich and powerful. The sun shone brightly overhead, the forest was alive with birdsong and the swell of insects emerging from their hibernation in the warm, spring air, and the heady, refreshing aroma of pine trees permeated his surroundings. He closed his mouth and inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent. As he walked, Ming began to wonder what awaited him in the northern Earth Kingdom. The only major city to be spoken of up there was Ba Sing Se, but Ming didn’t feel as though another life stuck behind walls was for him. Especially if he tried earning more money on the side again. Perhaps it would be better to keep moving – become a wandering merchant who set up shop as and when it suited him. As and when he felt like long enough had passed that he wouldn’t be immediately recognised when he visited again. It would certainly make him harder to track down if anyone else <em>did </em>grow wise to his scheme…</p>
<p>A short while later, Ming heard the beat of approaching ostrich-horses behind him, but paid it no heed. Travellers and merchants had been passing him all day – seeing as this was the most direct route between Gaoling and the harbour town, this was a busy road. A few of the more kindly travellers had stopped to offer him a ride but Ming had refused each one, on the off-chance he would be recognised. He was well known throughout Gaoling, in some circles. It wouldn’t do to be picked up by a customer, disgruntled or otherwise, only for them to then work out who he was and decide to claim the reward themselves. It wasn’t a risk he was prepared to take.</p>
<p>Suddenly, one of the ostrich-horses broke out into a gallop and came storming past Ming, almost knocking him over. Ming threw his most venomous glare at its rider’s back, but he paused in place when they abruptly pulled the creature around to a juddering halt, blocking Ming’s path.</p>
<p>“Hey!” Ming cried out, vexed. “What’s the big…?” He trailed off as a tall, imposing young man jumped down from the saddle. He was dressed all in black, and a bandana covered his mouth. He didn’t look friendly, an impression that was only cemented in Ming’s mind when the man began slowly stalking towards him, not saying a word... It didn’t take long for Ming to catch on to what was happening and he grimaced with indignant anger. This was just what Ming fucking needed – he had managed to get out of the city with all the gold he could carry that hadn’t been confiscated, and now he was being fucking robbed!</p>
<p>The man glared at him and as Ming caught a closer glimpse of his face, he failed to suppress his shock at the sight. A large, angry-looking scar covered the man’s left eye and ran all the way up to and around his ear. Ming had seen wounds like this before – they always spoke loudly about the type of man he was dealing with. This man clearly wasn’t one afraid to get into a fight, and Ming could only wonder at the state the man’s opponent had been left in for him to have survived such a grievous injury. But Ming was made of tough stuff, too. Refusing to be cowed, Ming only glared right back at the man. He drew out his blade, pointing it threateningly at the stranger, and stepped cautiously away. He continued to eye him warily, even as the younger man appeared to scoff before drawing out his own weapon – twin Dao swords, Ming remarked. This man knew what he was doing… Quickly working out the best way to get out of this safely, Ming raised his arms in surrender. As loath as he was to give in to such a bully, there was more than just his gold at stake here. He couldn’t afford to act too rashly. He could always make the money back when he made landfall, he reasoned. Start fresh. He’d done it before, in Gaoling. He had started life in the poorer district of Gaoling, but over time he had built himself up to wealth and comfort through nothing but his hard work and determination. He could do it again.</p>
<p>“I don’t have much,” he told the man firmly. He had stood up to tougher folk than this one in the poorer district – the man’s scar had just given him a shock, that was all, but he had gotten over it now. “But if you let me pass, I’ll give you what little gold I do have.” The man merely frowned at him, but before Ming could continue, a light laugh echoed from behind him. He spun around, only to come face to face with a young woman, again dressed all in black. Her own face was uncovered and was lit up with a smirk.</p>
<p>“He thinks you’re robbing him,” she addressed her companion, snorting with amusement. She then schooled her expression into one of reassurance. “Don’t worry, we’re not here for your gold,” she said sweetly. “Just you…”</p>
<p>Ming had been right. This pair were indeed looking for some gains today – specifically, the gold they would garner for bringing him back. They were bounty hunters. But <em>how </em>had they found him so fucking fast?!</p>
<p>At the realisation, Ming did the only thing he could. He ran. He hurriedly dropped his pack and sword, and turned and fled into the forest, not looking back. He could lose them, he told himself. He was sure of that. He <em>had </em>to. They had just gotten lucky, been in the right place at the right time. Ming had evaded detection for years before encountering the wrong customer that had led to his arrest. As far as Ming was aware, that was the only time he had been caught. In his trade of jewellery and other precious trinkets, it wasn’t at all unusual for rich and powerful households to send their servants to his shop to barter on their behalf. It had allowed them to play right into Ming’s hands. Servants could so rarely be counted upon to distinguish a genuine article from an extremely convincing forgery… Ming was usually more careful about his marks, but he admitted he had gotten greedy on that occasion. Once the servant gave him the price their masters were willing to pay, all Ming could see in his future was bags and bags of gold. He had become so distracted that he had failed to enquire as to who his actual customer was.</p>
<p>As it had turned out, it had been the Beifongs, the wealthiest family in Gaoling and one of the most powerful in the entire Earth Kingdom. The Beifongs, it was rumoured, were barely a step down from royalty. Lord Beifong certainly held much sway in the city and beyond, and his word had been enough for the magistrate that Ming had been brought before to declare that Ming would be tried for counterfeiting. It wasn’t the most heinous of crimes, but Ming had no doubt that he would be punished as severely as the law would allow, lest the magistrate wanted to make a powerful enemy of his own. Corruption was, after all, everywhere and Ming hadn’t wanted to risk the slim chance he would be judged by a man who couldn’t be bought. So he had fled.</p>
<p>And now, he was being forced to flee again because clearly some bastard – who was <em>going</em> to pay the consequences when Ming got his hands on them! – had sold him out. A full day hadn’t even passed yet. There was no other reason for the soldiers to suspect he was missing and put the word out. Ming would wring their fucking necks when he found out who it was!</p>
<p>The bounty hunters gave chase astride their ostrich-horses and were hot on his tail as he continued to bolt, dropping his eyes to the ground occasionally to ensure he didn’t trip over any roots. Ming ran as if his life depended on it, not noticing or caring enough to stop as the branches seemed to reach out and grab at him, clawing his face. He couldn’t stop. He couldn’t <em>afford </em>to stop. Doing so would surely mean capture…and that would mean a long sentence of imprisonment awaited him if they got him back to the city. He had only just escaped. He wasn’t about to let himself be carted back now in disgrace.</p>
<p>Unfortunately for Ming, it simply wasn’t his destiny to escape justice that day. As he ran, the ostrich-horses getting ever closer, the man suddenly vaulted from his saddle as the animal drew level, and launched himself at Ming. Ming attempted to dodge, but it was futile and the man roughly collided with him, knocking them both the ground. They rolled over a couple of times, the bounty hunter gripping Ming’s torso in a vice-like grip, until they came to a stop. Ming was on his front, pinned underneath the other man, who wasted no time in grabbing Ming’s arms and twisting them behind his back. Ming grunted in pain and struggled. He bucked his hips to try and flip the man off, but the man wasn’t perturbed and held him fast. The woman, still astride her mount, tossed him a line of rope and he set to work binding Ming’s wrists tightly. Ming glared at her as she watched curiously from her ostrich-horse. She leaned forward, smiling sweetly at Ming even as he threw daggers at her with his eyes, and gave him a little wave, looking immensely satisfied with herself…smug little bitch. Her man had been the one to do all the work, what did <em>she </em>have to look so pleased about? He scoffed. She was probably just his whore. Something pretty and exotic to fuck when the scarred bastard wasn’t busy taking down good, hard-working men for just wanting to make a little bit of extra gold on the side.</p>
<p>Once the man was satisfied that he had bound him properly, his weight left Ming’s back and he hauled Ming to his feet. Still not having uttered a single word, the man pushed Ming towards the ostrich-horses, the woman seemingly having calmed the man’s after he had leapt from the creature.</p>
<p>“Nice catch,” the woman nodded in approval at her companion. She turned her attention to Ming, who was still glaring at her. “You know, you were a lot easier to find than we were expecting. It’s like you weren’t even <em>trying</em>. Hiding in plain sight, were you?” Her tone didn’t sound mocking – but it was clear that she was taunting him. Stupid little bitch. Fuming, Ming sucked in a breath and spat at her. The woman recoiled, flicking the saliva off with a mere twitch of her wrist. Her eyes suddenly darkened and an unnervingly bright smile broke out onto her features.</p>
<p>In an instant, the man grabbed Ming by the hair roughly, pulling it back, as his free hand gripped one of Ming’s arms, holding him still as the woman calmly jumped down from her saddle. She drew a dagger from her cloak as she approached, still smiling in that terrifying manner, her eyes gleaming with…something. But whatever it was, it wasn’t fucking right! She pressed the tip of her blade against Ming’s throat, making his breath hitch. She leaned in and whispered, “You’re not the first person to do that…do you want to be the first to find out what happens if you do it a second time?” As if to prove her point, she applied a small amount of pressure to the blade until the tip broke through his skin, and a small rivulet of blood began to trickle down his neck.</p>
<p>“You won’t kill me,” Ming said confidently, grinning to show this silly little woman just how unaffected he was by her. “I’m worthless to you dead.”</p>
<p>The woman smirked. “Not actually true,” she informed him. “The notice said dead or alive. Lord Beifong is <em>really </em>pissed at you.” She said that as if it amused her and Ming could only glare at her in disgust before her face turned serious. “I’ve always brought my bounties back alive before, but there’s a first time for everything,” she said, casually toying with the blade enough so that Ming could feel it, but not enough to make him bleed further. Despite himself, Ming gulped. Whoever this woman was, she was clearly fucking insane… Ming was seriously beginning to doubt if she would even hesitate. The man would certainly make no move to stop her.</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry,” he stuttered. The woman paused and eyed him curiously.</p>
<p>“Aw, I didn’t even have to <em>ask</em>,” she smiled. She clapped him genially on the shoulder. “Thank you, Ming. Your apology is accepted. Now, are you going to come quietly?” She studied his face for a moment, his reluctance to surrender as clear as a newborn glacier. “It’s okay if you’re not,” she assured him. “I’m sure my partner here would love a rematch.”</p>
<p>In the end, Ming went quietly. It hadn’t been a difficult decision to make. As much as Ming valued his freedom, he valued his life more. And he couldn’t be certain that if he had refused to comply, neither the man nor the woman would let him escape alive. Not if his notice really said he could be brought back alive or dead. His life meant nothing to them if that was the case – they would get paid either way. His captors were, however, gracious enough to return for his abandoned belongings before they began trekking north back to Gaoling. Ming was dumped unceremoniously on the man’s saddle with his hands and now his ankles bound, lying on his front with his head dangling over the edge of the saddle. The constant swaying as they galloped was nauseating. Ming would have preferred to walk, but it was clear they weren’t going to give him that option, valuing speed over his comfort. He bristled and seethed silently, but he was bound, a non-bender, and both of his captors had weapons they wouldn’t be afraid to use. So he kept silent.</p>
<p>It was almost a relief when the city’s jail came into view after a long and uncomfortable ride. The man untied Ming’s ankles before pulling him off the saddle. He transferred the rope still binding his wrists to the woman, who ventured inside, dragging Ming along behind her. The soldiers on duty swiftly took over and he was immediately hauled to a cell, where Ming knew he would be held until his trial. They wouldn’t be stupid enough to let him out again. But before they reached the cells, Ming caught sight of a poster pinned to the wall. An image of Ming’s face was emblazoned in the centre of the poster, and Ming’s eyes widened as he read the inscription beneath.</p>
<p>As the exhaustion mounted and the realisation dawned on him, despite himself and his circumstances, Ming felt a chuckle rise up from his chest and he almost guffawed. That little bitch. But clever…her role at her man’s side suddenly made sense. For just below his likeness on the poster were printed the characters, in bold: “Wanted, Alive”.</p>
<p>He had fallen right into her trap.</p>
<p>****</p>
<p>Katara emerged from the jail very shortly after she had entered. The rope that had bound Ming was looped over her shoulder and in her hand, she cradled two pouches laden with gold. She quickly spotted Zuko, who was stood by the ostrich-horses, holding onto their reins. His bandana still covered his mouth.</p>
<p>“You might wanna lose the mask,” she said by way of a greeting. “You look like you’re about to mug someone.” Zuko scowled at her and rolled his eyes, but tugged the bandana down without argument. She tossed him one of the pouches before digging into her pocket for some feed. Zuko watched idly as Katara began whispering to her ostrich-horse and rubbed her nose gently. The ostrich-horse nudged her master insistently until Katara finally opened her hand. “So,” Katara began, looking up at Zuko. “How was leading your first hunt?”</p>
<p>“Not bad,” Zuko shrugged, attempting to remain nonchalant about the whole affair. “To be honest, he was a little easy.” Katara nodded in agreement. She couldn’t dispute that. Although it wasn’t for lack of a fighting spirit on Ming’s part. He had earnestly tried to get away, but Zuko had pinned him down so quickly, the man hadn’t stood a chance. So far, none of their targets had stood a chance against the <em>two </em>of them. Katara couldn’t say she was surprised. They made a pretty formidable duo – even Zuko’s bitch of a sister had balked at taking them on, in the end. It was part of the reason Katara had been so keen to partner up with Zuko. But, being a non-bender whose only crime was forgery, Katara hadn’t expected him to be a challenge. They had only taken the job because it attracted such a high fee. Well, that and because Katara had never chased down a counterfeiter before. The lowlifes of Gaoling formed a veritable Pai Sho tile set, and Katara liked to amuse herself by setting the goal of trying to collect one of each type of crime.</p>
<p>“Good reward, though,” Katara pointed out. Katara may have lied to Ming about being wanted dead or alive, but it was true that Lord Beifong was indeed pissed at him – he had put up most of the bounty out of his own funds. A symptom of bruised pride and too much money to throw around, Katara supposed. She rubbed her hand on her cloak after her ostrich-horse had finished eating. The creature then bowed her head and nudged Katara affectionately, seemingly not having had her fill of attention. Katara acquiesced. It was more likely her girl was, in fact, after more treats, but Katara didn’t hear a whine of complaint or disappointment when all the ostrich-horse got in return was another nose-rub. She turned back to Zuko. “Now, do you remember the next step?” she asked sincerely. “It’s an important one.”</p>
<p>Zuko frowned at her in confusion for a moment, before he realised just what she meant. He snorted in amusement and shook his head at her. “Spend our earnings in the tavern?” he guessed wryly.</p>
<p>Katara smirked at him in response, appearing almost proud. “I’ve trained you well, my apprentice.”</p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'll start by, as per usual, giving a massive thanks to everyone who left comments, kudos and bookmarked! You guys are absolutely amazing. I saw on a Reddit threat that not enough credit is given to readers of WIPs, and I couldn't agree more strongly. Thank you all so much for sticking with me :)</p>
<p>Now, I know that we saw very little of K + Z in this chapter. That wasn't my original intention, but when I started writing, I realised that this chapter just flowed better this way. As much as K + Z are the main characters, there are many tiles that need to be moved into position to complete the story. I hope you'll find the payoff satisfying.</p>
<p>Some segments of this chapter were directly lifted from the canon - specifically, Sokka's conversation with Toph about not remembering what his mother looked like (S3E7 - The Runaway) and Iroh's breath of fire gambit (adapted) (S2E20 - The Crossroads of Destiny). You may also recognise the Rough Rhinos, who appeared in Season 2. Parts of the dialogue between Iroh and Colonel Mongke were adapted from S2E10 - The Library. I'm sure most of you know this already, but I just wanted to clarify :)</p>
<p>I can promise that the next chapter will be much more weighted in favour of K + Z, and I look forward to bringing my plans for them to fruition...I'll let you decide whether that's a good or a bad thing. As always, I'm unable to promise when that update will be, but I assure you it is coming! I hope you're all enjoying the story so far. I honestly at this stage have no feel for how long it will end up being so I have that to look forward to as much as you. Until next time!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title is inspired by a brilliant fan-video of the same name about the BBC series 'Sherlock'. You can catch in on YouTube. The song in it is rather haunting, and absolutely part of my playlist for writing this story.</p><p>This is a short chapter (by my standards) but future chapters will be significantly longer.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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